off the cuff

1 of 2

phrase

: without preparation : ad lib
speaking off the cuff

off-the-cuff

2 of 2

adjective

: not prepared in advance : spontaneous, informal
off-the-cuff remarks
off-the-cuff adverb

Examples of off the cuff in a Sentence

Adjective having gotten into hot water with some unfortunate off-the-cuff remarks, the candidate now limits himself to his carefully prepared campaign speech
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.
Adjective
An off-the-cuff idea could be your next favorite project! Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026 Kempczinski is far from the first fast food chief executive to discover the hard way that their off-the-cuff remarks can take on a second life across social media. Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026 And his off-the-cuff acceptance speech at SAG did a brilliant job of tying the award into the metanarrative of his career. Nate Jones, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026 Random, off-the-cuff threats over the Internet weren’t credible in this case because the chance of Smriga going through with them was slim, Simon said. Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off the cuff

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off the cuff was in 1936

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off the cuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20cuff. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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