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
Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
To meet the brief, the Eameses traded traditional masonry for a purely industrial logic, utilizing a standardized steel chassis and off-the-shelf glass inserts in their design.
—Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Allogene Therapeutics said Monday that its off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment eliminated residual cancer cells in patients with B-cell lymphoma three times better than standard care — achieving the interim goal of an ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 13 Apr. 2026
The team, led by Hae-Won Park, focused on building everything from scratch instead of relying on off-the-shelf parts.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off the shelf
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
Another approach involves what are called generalized or off-the-shelf vaccines, that are not tailored to each individual patient.
—Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
To meet the brief, the Eameses traded traditional masonry for a purely industrial logic, utilizing a standardized steel chassis and off-the-shelf glass inserts in their design.
—Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026
Allogene Therapeutics said Monday that its off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment eliminated residual cancer cells in patients with B-cell lymphoma three times better than standard care — achieving the interim goal of an ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial.
—Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 13 Apr. 2026
The team, led by Hae-Won Park, focused on building everything from scratch instead of relying on off-the-shelf parts.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 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 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
