off of

preposition

: off
Usage of Off of

The of is often criticized as superfluous, a comment that is irrelevant because off of is an idiom. It is much more common in speech than in edited writing and is more common in American English than in British.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web That favorite storybook or sippy cup takes some of the edge off of being thousands of miles from friends and family. Jocelyn Newman, Travel + Leisure, 28 Feb. 2023 The program in theory takes some of the pressure off of resettlement agencies and puts it in the hands of the American people, with some assistance from the government and refugee agencies. Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2023 Take the mixing bowl off of the mixing stand after all of the ingredients are incorporated. Dana Mcmahan, The Courier-Journal, 21 Feb. 2023 Lobster fishing in the U.S. takes place mainly off of Maine and Massachusetts, with some lobsters also coming to the docks in New Hampshire, southern New England and farther south. Patrick Whittle, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Feb. 2023 The seats on these garden stools are designed with ergonomic features to take the strain off of your knees or back. Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2023 His ability to score inside takes more pressure off of Phipps, a scoring machine, who likes to mix it up around the glass and can score from anywhere on the court. Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2023 Huse Culinary, owner of St. Elmo, Harry & Izzy’s and other restaurants, will take $10 off of the Devour Indy dinner menus at all of its properties on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Jan. 2023 While Dakota has earned a reputation for her daring sense of fashion, people couldn't take their eyes off of the actress' all-black jumpsuit. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 14 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'off of.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off of was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near off of

Cite this Entry

“Off of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20of. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

off of

preposition
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY