variants
or less commonly off-line
1
: not connected to or served by a system and especially a computer or telecommunications system
One of the servers is offline.
… we suggest you keep a backup of your digital assets in offline storage, too. This storage can provide some cushioning if your online investment disappears in an instant.—
The Denver (Colorado) Post
The Denver (Colorado) Post
also
: done or occurring independently of such a system
our online and offline lives
offline activities/events
Movies and shows can be downloaded via the app for offline viewing. —Dan Auty
Dan Auty 2
of a person
: not available (as for communication) especially by way of the the Internet
She was having computer trouble, she told him, and would be offline for a while.—Mark Warren
Mark Warren
off-line
adverb
Examples of offline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Open-source models amplify this risk – they can be freely downloaded, altered, and run offline, enabling rapid innovation but also removing layers of oversight.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
This threat means parents need to understand the best ways to go beyond offline tactics to help their teens stay safe online.
—Alvin Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
The fundraiser was taken offline after members of the community reported it as violating GoFundMe’s rules, the petition’s organizer, Andrew Rogers, said in an email to the Star-Telegram.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025
Anticipating customer needs, reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction are underlying goals of just about every business strategy — digital and offline.
—David Henkin, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Premium plans include ad-free listening, offline downloads, and, in YouTube Music’s case, background play.
—PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
Finding a supportive community is key, and if all else fails, get offline.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
Library cataloging and checkout systems also have been restored, though as of Thursday, public internet terminals were still offline.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 31 Aug. 2025
The commission still plans to set rules that would require oil refineries to keep a minimum level of fuel on hand to avoid shortages when refineries go offline for maintenance.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
This threat means parents need to understand the best ways to go beyond offline tactics to help their teens stay safe online.
—Alvin Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
The fundraiser was taken offline after members of the community reported it as violating GoFundMe’s rules, the petition’s organizer, Andrew Rogers, said in an email to the Star-Telegram.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025
Anticipating customer needs, reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction are underlying goals of just about every business strategy — digital and offline.
—David Henkin, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Premium plans include ad-free listening, offline downloads, and, in YouTube Music’s case, background play.
—PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
Finding a supportive community is key, and if all else fails, get offline.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
Library cataloging and checkout systems also have been restored, though as of Thursday, public internet terminals were still offline.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 31 Aug. 2025
The commission still plans to set rules that would require oil refineries to keep a minimum level of fuel on hand to avoid shortages when refineries go offline for maintenance.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offline. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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