off the shelf
1 of 2phrase
: available from stock : not made to order
off the shelf equipment
: available as a stock item : not specially designed or custom-made
off-the-shelf software
Examples of off the shelf in a Sentence
Adjective
she chose to have her computer designed to her specifications rather than buying an off-the-shelf machine
Recent Examples on the Web
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Some autonomous shuttles use off-the-shelf gaming controllers, which—while inexpensive—were never designed for vehicle control.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
The brand makes great looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts supported by a robust service network.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
Among them is a pharmaceutical company with an off-the-shelf product called Zenvidia that seems to address the rash by making people forget all about it (with major side effects).
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off the shelf
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Adjective
According to the company, the Hadley H13 is designed as an off-the-shelf liquid rocket engine.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Some autonomous shuttles use off-the-shelf gaming controllers, which—while inexpensive—were never designed for vehicle control.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
The brand makes great looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts supported by a robust service network.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
Among them is a pharmaceutical company with an off-the-shelf product called Zenvidia that seems to address the rash by making people forget all about it (with major side effects).
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off the shelf
Cite this Entry
“Off the shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20shelf. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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