1
: coming or moving away from the shore toward the water
an offshore breeze
2
a
: situated off the shore but within waters under a country's control
offshore fisheries
b
: distant from the shore compare inshore
3
: situated or operating in a foreign country
offshore mutual funds
offshore banking
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshȯr 
: off the shore of
Examples of offshore in a Sentence
Adjective
We sailed to an offshore island.
He works on an offshore oil rig.
They opened an offshore bank account.
He traced the money to an offshore investment company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Even if the storm stays farther offshore, strong winds will be possible over the weekend.
—Tammie Souza, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
William La Jeunesse, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
More than half of Exxon’s production came from the still-booming Permian Basin in West Texas and its rapidly rising output from offshore Guyana, which borders Venezuela.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
The storm began organizing Friday offshore the Carolinas when two disturbances along the jet stream merged over the Southeast.
—Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2022
See All Example Sentences for offshore
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Adverb
As the storm rapidly intensifies offshore, powerful winds will significantly worsen impacts across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Even if the storm stays farther offshore, strong winds will be possible over the weekend.
—Tammie Souza, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Ghost patients, sham companies, offshore owners and corrupt doctors.
—William La Jeunesse, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
More than half of Exxon’s production came from the still-booming Permian Basin in West Texas and its rapidly rising output from offshore Guyana, which borders Venezuela.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
Preposition
The Outer Continental Shelf offshore Maine is virgin water for wind.
—Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
The storm began organizing Friday offshore the Carolinas when two disturbances along the jet stream merged over the Southeast.
—Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2022
See All Example Sentences for offshore
Cite this Entry
“Offshore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshore. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offshore
1 of 2 adverb
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˈshō(ə)r
-ˈshȯ(ə)r
: from the shore : at a distance from the shore
offshore
2 of 2 adjective
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshō(ə)r
-ˌshȯ(ə)r
1
: coming or moving away from the shore
an offshore breeze
2
: located off the shore
offshore islands
an offshore oil rig
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