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
What started as a small forum post has evolved into a rare long-term demonstration of off-grid living.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Nov. 2025
The Sofia starts at just €27,695 (roughly US$32,000), for an unfurnished model, with the cost increasing depending on the options chosen, including such things as furniture, finishes, and a full off-grid solar setup and rainwater harvesting system.
—New Atlas, 16 Nov. 2025
Among the native grasses and desert plants lie a collection of Kohler solar panels and a deep private well, enabling the kind of off-grid living Friedman was seeking all those years ago.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2025
Envision 2024 debuted a waterless, off-grid sanitation model using dry-composting toilets.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-grid
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Nov. 2025
The Sofia starts at just €27,695 (roughly US$32,000), for an unfurnished model, with the cost increasing depending on the options chosen, including such things as furniture, finishes, and a full off-grid solar setup and rainwater harvesting system.
—New Atlas, 16 Nov. 2025
Among the native grasses and desert plants lie a collection of Kohler solar panels and a deep private well, enabling the kind of off-grid living Friedman was seeking all those years ago.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2025
Envision 2024 debuted a waterless, off-grid sanitation model using dry-composting toilets.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-grid
Cite this Entry
“Off-grid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-grid. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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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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