off the pace
idiom
US
: behind in a race, competition, etc.
The winner finished in 4 minutes, 30 seconds, and the next runner was three seconds off the pace.
Examples of off the pace in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
McDavid and Draisaitl together are shockingly off the pace, and that’s a new wrinkle offensively.
—
Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Senior forward Jacob Orin and senior guard Judah Miceli added eight points apiece for Hinckley-Big Rock (18-7), which isn’t far off the pace set by last season’s team that dropped a 57-54 decision to Aurora Christian in the sectional final and finished 26-9.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Seven players were tied for sixth, eight strokes off the pace.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Hennessy was running in the lead pack until about halfway through the race, but then fell slightly off the pace.
—Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off the pace
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Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Senior forward Jacob Orin and senior guard Judah Miceli added eight points apiece for Hinckley-Big Rock (18-7), which isn’t far off the pace set by last season’s team that dropped a 57-54 decision to Aurora Christian in the sectional final and finished 26-9.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Seven players were tied for sixth, eight strokes off the pace.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Hennessy was running in the lead pack until about halfway through the race, but then fell slightly off the pace.
—Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off the pace
Cite this Entry
“Off the pace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20pace. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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