off-screen
adverb or adjective
variants
or offscreen
1
: out of sight of the movie or television viewer
a shot fired off-screen
Before long, Anthony introduces himself to the family pooch, who is whooshed away to an off-screen death.—
Kris Turnquist
Kris Turnquist2
: in private life : when not appearing in a movie, on television, etc.
Moyer's off-screen magnetism comes from a down-to-earth friendliness.—Kate Hahn
Kate HahnPfeiffer, 34, remains a mystery woman offscreen.—Michael A. Lipton
Michael A. LiptonExamples of off-screen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Destigmatizing mental health and advocating for accessible resources have been big in Stokes' off-screen initiatives, especially through his work with eyewear brand, Zenni Optical.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
While promoting the film, Anderson garnered even more attention as fans speculated about her off-screen relationship with the comedy's leading man.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
There is some political backdrop to the show, with Pompey and Crassus going at each other off-screen and an amusingly narcissistic Julius Caesar (Jackson Gallagher) dropping in to draw attention to himself.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
Much of the action happens off-screen with the drama of each episode stemming from characters describing all the important things that apparently weren’t worth depicting.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Dior has a long-standing love affair with Hollywood, dressing many leading ladies on- and off-screen.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
Local music artists, barbers and creatives are part of the show, both on- and off-screen.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
My Word Against Mine unfolds in a therapeutic setting, with a psychiatrist off-screen leading conversations with patients about their voices and, yes, even with the voices.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Kirkland's off-screen pursuits were eclectic.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 11 Nov. 2025
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.
Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
While promoting the film, Anderson garnered even more attention as fans speculated about her off-screen relationship with the comedy's leading man.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
There is some political backdrop to the show, with Pompey and Crassus going at each other off-screen and an amusingly narcissistic Julius Caesar (Jackson Gallagher) dropping in to draw attention to himself.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
Much of the action happens off-screen with the drama of each episode stemming from characters describing all the important things that apparently weren’t worth depicting.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Dior has a long-standing love affair with Hollywood, dressing many leading ladies on- and off-screen.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
Local music artists, barbers and creatives are part of the show, both on- and off-screen.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
My Word Against Mine unfolds in a therapeutic setting, with a psychiatrist off-screen leading conversations with patients about their voices and, yes, even with the voices.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Kirkland's off-screen pursuits were eclectic.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-screen. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share