drop-off

1 of 2

noun

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

dropped off; dropping off; drops off

intransitive verb

: to fall asleep

Examples of drop-off in a Sentence

Verb my interest in photography has dropped off over the years
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In addition to pickup and drop-off from the main gate of CPKC Stadium, the shuttles will service two locations: one in the River Market District near the intersection of Third and Grand and another at the Central Business District near the intersection of Seventh and Main. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Warm, cozy, comfortable, and affordable, a sweatshirt is functional for everyone: Throw it on for school drop-offs à la Isla Fisher, time spent procrastinating at work like Kate Hudson, and other simple things like household chores or lazy days. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Local elections officials had been leaders in adopting more widespread voting by mail and the use of drop-off ballot boxes, among other innovations. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 Across Washington, officials are viewing the drop-off in ammunition shipments with increasing alarm. Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 The question is whether the drop-off is significant enough for employers and workers to feel it. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Despite rapid curbside changes that were implemented during the COVID-19 crisis, such as outdoor dining and pick-up and drop-off zones, many cities have been slow to officially update their parking policies to address emerging use cases. Regina Clewlow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 At least 19 states now allow the use of newborn drop-off boxes, though more than half the incubators that have been installed are in Indiana, the home state of the company that makes them. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Among the three drop-offs this year is casino mogul Lawrence Ho, a fixture on the list for a decade, whose Melco International Development was impacted by a broader industry sell-off. Jane Ho, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
At the age of 8, Charles was dropped off at Maidwell Hall by his father John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer. Erin Hill, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 In another snippet, Short accompanies his Only Murders in the Building co-star to drop off laundry. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 At a vote center in the San Diego LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest, voters filed into the auditorium Tuesday evening to drop off ballots and use the in-person voting machines. Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Read Next California How late is too late to drop off a California ballot? Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 Employers can offer commuting stipends and provide flexibility for parents who have to pick up and drop off their kids at school. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Imagine that 15 percent of the initial respondents have dropped off by this point in the survey as well. Nate Cohn, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The first mixing comes immediately after harvest at a community buying center, where about 20-30 farmers drop off their product. Mumbi Gitau, Fortune Europe, 27 Feb. 2024 Homicide investigators were summoned the afternoon of Feb. 13 after a man was dropped off at a hospital with stab wounds and died soon after, according to San Jose police. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drop-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

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drop-off was in 1812

Dictionary Entries Near drop-off

Cite this Entry

“Drop-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop-off. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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