: not prepared in advance : spontaneous, informal
off-the-cuff remarks
off-the-cuff adverb

Examples of off-the-cuff in a Sentence

having gotten into hot water with some unfortunate off-the-cuff remarks, the candidate now limits himself to his carefully prepared campaign speech
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During his first administration, Trump regularly called Fox News hosts live on air to have impromptu, off-the-cuff interviews. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025 Leo spoke off-the-cuff in English in the Sistine Chapel to the cardinals who elected him to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who put a commitment to social justice at the core of his papacy. Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025 Live videos, spontaneous interviews and off-the-cuff Q&As often resonate more than polished scripts. Brian Cattell, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 Sometimes pep talks are informal and unplanned, while on other occasions they are carefully plotted and rehearsed, though the delivery of the pep talk is usually supposed to seem entirely off-the-cuff and directly from the heart. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for off-the-cuff

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-the-cuff was in 1936

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Cite this Entry

“Off-the-cuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-the-cuff. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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