off-screen
adverb or adjective
variants
or offscreen
1
: out of sight of the movie or television viewer
a shot fired off-screen
Before long, Anthony introduces himself to the family pooch, who is whooshed away to an off-screen death.—
Kris Turnquist
Kris Turnquist2
: in private life : when not appearing in a movie, on television, etc.
Moyer's off-screen magnetism comes from a down-to-earth friendliness.—Kate Hahn
Kate HahnPfeiffer, 34, remains a mystery woman offscreen.—Michael A. Lipton
Michael A. LiptonExamples of off-screen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dior has a long-standing love affair with Hollywood, dressing many leading ladies on- and off-screen.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
While romance might be bubbling on-screen for Bobbie and Emmett (Linn), McEntire and Linn have their own off-screen romance, too.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Local music artists, barbers and creatives are part of the show, both on- and off-screen.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
My Word Against Mine unfolds in a therapeutic setting, with a psychiatrist off-screen leading conversations with patients about their voices and, yes, even with the voices.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Kirkland's off-screen pursuits were eclectic.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 11 Nov. 2025
Her longtime off-screen relationship with co-star Charlie Heaton has also drawn public interest.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Otherwise, the Devil remains off-screen, which is usually the most effective way to keep Satan scary.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
And, of course, time off-screen is generally better than time on-screen.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
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Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
While romance might be bubbling on-screen for Bobbie and Emmett (Linn), McEntire and Linn have their own off-screen romance, too.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Local music artists, barbers and creatives are part of the show, both on- and off-screen.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Nov. 2025
My Word Against Mine unfolds in a therapeutic setting, with a psychiatrist off-screen leading conversations with patients about their voices and, yes, even with the voices.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Kirkland's off-screen pursuits were eclectic.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 11 Nov. 2025
Her longtime off-screen relationship with co-star Charlie Heaton has also drawn public interest.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Otherwise, the Devil remains off-screen, which is usually the most effective way to keep Satan scary.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
And, of course, time off-screen is generally better than time on-screen.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-screen. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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