on the off chance

phrase

used to talk about something that might happen or be true but that is not likely
I called his office on the off chance that he would still be there, but he had already left.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On the off chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20off%20chance. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster