dance-off

noun

ˈdan(t)s-ˌȯf How to pronounce dance-off (audio)
ˈdän(t)s-
plural dance-offs
: a dancing competition
The finals were a dance-off—one by one, each girl danced her routine alone, on stage, in front of an auditorium full of hundreds of strangers.Mark Coddington
One night they happened to catch a fox trot performed on Dancing With the Stars, the ABC battle-of-the-ballroom hit that paired … celebrities with professional dancers in a six-week dance-off.Michelle Andrews

Examples of dance-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The centerpiece is, of course, the melee/dance-off between the ensemble in white tutus and the violent thugs, toe blade and all. Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2026 At one point during the show, there's a robot competing in a dance-off against a human audience member, executing impressive spins and flips. Neda Ulaby, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026 Only netting 32 points through the initial two quarters rendered the game essentially over prior to the halftime dance-off between some fraternities and sororities of historically black universities. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 22 Jan. 2026 Poppy and Alex's dance-off is at the popular live-music venue and Cajun-Creole eatery Bamboula's on Frenchmen Street. Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dance-off

Word History

Etymology

dance entry 1 + -off

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dance-off was in 1967

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Cite this Entry

“Dance-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dance-off. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

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