off

1 of 6

adverb

1
a(1)
: from a place or position
march off
specifically : away from land
ship stood off to sea
(2)
: at a distance in space or time
stood 10 paces off
a long way off
b
: from a course : aside
turned off into a bypath
specifically : away from the wind
The ship eased off a point or two.
c
: into an unconscious state
dozed off
2
a
: so as to be separated from support
rolled to the edge of the table and off
or close contact
blew the lid off
the handle came off
b
: so as to be divided
surface marked off into squares
3
a
: to a state of discontinuance or suspension
shut off an engine
b
used as an intensifier
drink off a glass
finish it off
4
: in absence from or suspension of regular work or service
take time off for lunch
5
: offstage
The actor turns and goes off.

off

2 of 6

preposition

1
a
used as a function word to indicate physical separation or distance from a position of rest, attachment, or union
take it off the table
a path off the main walk
a shop just off the main street
b
: to seaward of
two miles off shore
2
: from the possession or charge of
had his wallet stolen off him
3
used as a function word to indicate the object of an action
borrowed a dollar off him
dined off oysters
4
a
used as a function word to indicate the suspension of an occupation or activity
off duty
off liquor
b
: below the usual standard or level of
off his game

off

3 of 6

adjective

1
a
b
: right
c
: more removed or distant
the off side of the building
2
a
: started on the way
off on a spree
b
: not taking place or staying in effect : canceled
the deal was off
c
: not operating
d
: not placed so as to permit operation
3
a
: not corresponding to fact : incorrect
off in his reckoning
c
: not entirely sane : eccentric
d
: remote, slight
an off chance
4
a
: spent off duty
reading on his off days
b
: marked by a periodic decline in activity or business
traveled in the off season for lower prices
5
a
b
: inferior
off grade of oil
also : affected with putrefaction
c
: down
stocks were off
6
: circumstanced
worse off

off

4 of 6

verb

offed; offing; offs

intransitive verb

: to go away : depart
used chiefly as an imperative
Off, or I'll shoot!

off

5 of 6

abbreviation

office; officer; official

-off

6 of 6

noun combining form

ˌȯf
: competition : contest
cook-off
dance-off

Examples of off in a Sentence

Adverb She put on her jacket and off she went. The car turned off onto a side street. Preposition She is still living off her parents. The family lives off welfare. They live off the land. They make their living off tourism. Adjective The lever is in the off position. He is off playing golf. She is off on a trip. Verb The movie is about a gangster who gets power by offing his rivals. the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone
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.
Adverb
The exam required taking a whole week off, with two and a half days of classes followed by two and a half days of testing. Noel Burgess, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 Normally, $397 the blue and gray pick is marked down to $238 — that’s over $150 off — during Walmart’s Black Friday sale. Maggie Horton, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Preposition
Several viral posts have detailed customers being turned away or told to scrub the paint off in the bathroom. Anika Reed, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024 Our picks start at $56 and go all the way up to $300 off. Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Turn a late off week that drew groans early in the season into a force for good, a re-set, and a launching pad into the final four games. Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 29 Nov. 2024 Part of the balloon broke off in the collision, injuring a 10-year-old girl and an off-duty police officer in the crowd. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
The Penguin, which brings back Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb from that first movie, is similarly a Scarface story about a low-level gangster who takes advantage of a power vacuum in the criminal underworld after the Riddler offed his boss, mobster Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024 Anton offs his parents and his besties before figuring out what’s going on. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for off 

Word History

Etymology

Adverb, Preposition, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English of, from Old English — more at of

Noun combining form

runoff

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1717, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of off was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near off

Cite this Entry

“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

off

1 of 3 adverb
1
a
: from a place or position
march off
stood 10 paces off
drove the dogs off
b
: from a course : aside
turned off onto a side street
c
: into an unconscious state
dozed off
2
: so as to be separated from support or close contact
rolled to the edge of the table and off
the handle came off
3
: so as to be divided
surface marked off into squares
4
: so as to be stopped or finished
shut off an engine
a coat of paint to finish it off
5
: away from work
took the day off

off

2 of 3 preposition
(ˈ)ȯf
1
: away from the surface, position, or place of
take it off the table
the ball bounced off the wall
a path off the main road
2
used to indicate the object of an action
borrowed a dollar off him
living off my parents
3
a
: released or freed from
off duty
b
: below the usual level of
off her game
a dollar off the price

off

3 of 3 adjective
(ˈ)ȯf
1
a
: not left : right
the off horse
b
: more distant
the off side of the building
2
: started on the way
off on a trip
they're off and running
3
a
: not taking place
the game is off
b
: not operating
the radio is off
4
a
: not correct : wrong
these numbers are off
your guess is way off
b
: not entirely sane
c
: small in degree : slight
an off chance
5
: being not as busy as usual
liked to vacation during the off season
6
a
: not very good : poor
an off grade of oil
b
: below or down from the normal
stocks were off
offered at 15% off
7
: provided for or taken care of
we were better off before

More from Merriam-Webster on off

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