1
a
: a collateral or derived branch, descendant, or member : outgrowth
b
: a lateral branch (as of a mountain range)
2
: a branch of a main stem especially of a plant
Examples of offshoot in a Sentence
The business started as an offshoot of an established fashion design company.
we knew the rosebush had survived the harsh winter when it began producing offshoots and turning green again
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Meslow’s history of the show and all its offshoots is less an analysis of its meaning than a book about the industry mechanisms that shaped and threatened it, and the people who brought it back to life again and again.
—
Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
As a member of the student-run group, the Walnut Hills junior helped launch its Ohio offshoot.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Feb. 2026
The insurgency now includes an Islamic State offshoot known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
As the case brings him down increasingly dark paths, Jeb must confront and reconcile the community’s relationship to the LDS church — not to mention a more fundamentalist offshoot with ties to the crime.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offshoot
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Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
As a member of the student-run group, the Walnut Hills junior helped launch its Ohio offshoot.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Feb. 2026
The insurgency now includes an Islamic State offshoot known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
As the case brings him down increasingly dark paths, Jeb must confront and reconcile the community’s relationship to the LDS church — not to mention a more fundamentalist offshoot with ties to the crime.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offshoot
Cite this Entry
“Offshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshoot. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offshoot
noun
off·shoot
ˈȯf-ˌshüt 
1
: something that branches out from something else
2
: a branch of a main stem of a plant
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