drop-off

1 of 2

noun

ˈdräp-ˌȯf 

1

: a very steep or perpendicular descent

2

: a marked dwindling or decline

a drop-off in attendance

3

: the act or an instance of making a usually brief deposit or delivery

drop-off points along the route

drop off

2 of 2

verb

ˌdräp-ˈȯf 

dropped off; dropping off; drops off

intransitive verb

: to fall asleep

Synonyms

Noun

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• shrinkage
• step-down

Examples of drop-off in a Sentence

Noun

the drop-off in movie attendance was the greatest in more than a decade

Verb

my interest in photography has dropped off over the years

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The airport has turned heads with a new series of signs limiting hugs in the drop-off zone to three minutes. —Bychris Morris, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024

Some commenters on a Facebook post that went viral are outraged at a curfew on cuddles, while others marvel at an airport still having a free drop-off area at all, given the general rise in fees and fines. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024

Verb

His family belonged to The Hartford Golf Club, and his father, a successful lawyer, drove a Jaguar convertible, in which Heff was sometimes dropped off or picked up. —Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024

Spring Back Colorado also charges $40 for each mattress and box spring that a consumer drops off. —Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above