off-grid

adjective

ˈȯf-ˈgrid 

variants or off-the-grid

ˈȯf-ṯẖə-ˈgrid 

: not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (such as electricity, gas, or water)

When folks move to an off-grid, rural homestead, they often end up burning a lot of fossil fuels (and spending a lot of money) driving to and from town in an inefficient farm truck.

—Cam Mather

Four Harvard University students are bringing portable, sustainable power to off-grid areas in developing countries …

—Emily Aviles

It's hard to imagine a more inspiring space than this off-the-grid building (powered by nearby solar panels).

—Samuel Cochran

Traditionally, home schooling has been branded as a fringe activity—the domain of Bible-toting parents and off-the-grid hippies.

—Lynn Schnaiberg

off the grid adverb

or less commonly off-the-grid or off-grid

Not everyone can live off the grid. At least not yet. But until then, many of us are doing simple things to conserve energy, save money and help the environment.

—Paul Singley

I'm not taking about modern-day Thoreaus building shacks in the woods and living off-the-grid …

—Paul McFedries

Right now people who live off-grid with PV panels on their roofs rely on ordinary batteries to get through the night.

—George Johnson

Examples of off-grid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their company’s commercial model is based on promoting off-grid solar power systems designed for domestic use for individual households, schools and small shops, often in remote rural ares. —Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Sign up here The Lodge Corcovado Wilderness Lodge’s 189-acre property is entirely off-grid and only accessible by boat. —Calin Van Paris, Outside Online, 18 Apr. 2025

Events here draw a blend of venture capitalists, open-source contributors, off-grid energy technicians, and Lightning engineers — developers who build software to make bitcoin faster and cheaper to use. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 12 Apr. 2025

Combining cutting-edge technology with sustainable energy solutions, this off-grid camping platform is revolutionizing outdoor living for adventurers, EV drivers and landowners alike. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

off-grid

adjective

ˈȯf-ˈgrid 

variants or off-the-grid

ˈȯf-ṯẖə-ˈgrid 

: not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (as electricity, gas, or water)