beg off

verb

begged off; begging off; begs off

intransitive verb

: to ask to be excused from something

transitive verb

: to ask or gain permission to be excused from
begged off attending the party
beg-off noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Stanley tried to beg off. Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022 David Pastrnak might beg off an All-Star Game someday, as veteran superstars of the past have done. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Feb. 2023 Alas, Drew came down with bronchitis and had to beg off. Vulture, 27 May 2022 Because many of us can’t exactly beg off Zoom calls, using them to our advantage can help. Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 7 Feb. 2022 Howard Wolfson, a Bloomberg adviser who also worked for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign, told the Washington Post’s Michael Scherer that the seventy-seven-year old Bloomberg would beg off the first four contests. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2019 Most athletes beg off chores involving tennis politics. Elizabeth Weil, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2019 Talbot: While a lot of players begged off of playing for Team USA this summer — even DeMar DeRozan isn’t playing — White has made the most of his time so far. Nick Talbot, ExpressNews.com, 10 Aug. 2019 Carroll joked when begging off on the invitation and promising to return the next day to pick up Egan, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported at the time. Washington Post, 23 June 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beg off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of beg off was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near beg off

Cite this Entry

“Beg off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beg%20off. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

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