variants
or off-the-grid
: 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
Cam MatherFour Harvard University students are bringing portable, sustainable power to off-grid areas in developing countries …—Emily Aviles
Emily AvilesIt's hard to imagine a more inspiring space than this off-the-grid building (powered by nearby solar panels).—Samuel Cochran
Samuel CochranTraditionally, home schooling has been branded as a fringe activity—the domain of Bible-toting parents and off-the-grid hippies.—Lynn Schnaiberg
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
Paul Singley
I'm not taking about modern-day Thoreaus building shacks in the woods and living off-the-grid …
—Paul McFedries
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
George Johnson
Examples of off-grid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The vast potential of off-grid solar Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.
—Christine Ro, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
What sets us apart is our ability to provide off-grid accommodations for all seasons, catering to hiking, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, and the increasingly popular activity of fat biking.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2023
It can also be integrated into your van or RV’s solar when parked off-grid or charged from your vehicle’s alternator when driving when combined with the Yeti Vehicle Integration Kit.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2023
Her team collaborated with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), an organization that couples tourism with humanitarian technology to provide solar energy in off-grid communities.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2023
The idea sprouted from Bardia’s original dream of providing clean, reliable electricity to farmers in the global South or any off-grid region, in a world where 775 million people still can’t access reliable sources of electric power.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Sep. 2023
In Hawaii, where electricity is considerably more expensive than the rest of the nation, there’s a risk that if prices further soar then wealthy homeowners and big commercial customers will disconnect in favor of off-grid solar and battery systems, further destabilizing the utility.
—Evan Halper, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023
Topping off the listing, which is held by Nicole Eastman and Paul Hague of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, are a generator and water-treatment plant that allow for a totally off-grid lifestyle.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2023
The trailers provide off-grid capabilities like a UV-LED and pre-filter water purification system of potable water and an optional composting toilet.
—Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 13 Aug. 2023
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Christine Ro, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
What sets us apart is our ability to provide off-grid accommodations for all seasons, catering to hiking, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, and the increasingly popular activity of fat biking.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2023
It can also be integrated into your van or RV’s solar when parked off-grid or charged from your vehicle’s alternator when driving when combined with the Yeti Vehicle Integration Kit.
—Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2023
Her team collaborated with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), an organization that couples tourism with humanitarian technology to provide solar energy in off-grid communities.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2023
The idea sprouted from Bardia’s original dream of providing clean, reliable electricity to farmers in the global South or any off-grid region, in a world where 775 million people still can’t access reliable sources of electric power.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Sep. 2023
In Hawaii, where electricity is considerably more expensive than the rest of the nation, there’s a risk that if prices further soar then wealthy homeowners and big commercial customers will disconnect in favor of off-grid solar and battery systems, further destabilizing the utility.
—Evan Halper, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023
Topping off the listing, which is held by Nicole Eastman and Paul Hague of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, are a generator and water-treatment plant that allow for a totally off-grid lifestyle.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2023
The trailers provide off-grid capabilities like a UV-LED and pre-filter water purification system of potable water and an optional composting toilet.
—Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 13 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'off-grid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1978, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near off-grid
Cite this Entry
“Off-grid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-grid. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
off-grid
adjective
variants
or off-the-grid
: not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (as electricity, gas, or water)
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