pack off
phrasal verb
packed off; packing off; packs off
: to send (someone) away to a different place
—usually + to
Despite his protests, his mom packed him off to bed.
parents packing their kids off to college
Examples of pack off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a result, they were packed off into spaceships and shot away from Earth—heading, like High Life’s prisoners, for a black hole.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 21 June 2025
Several months later, on the day that Antonin and Agathe open Patisserie Carême, Antonin and Talleyrand learn that they’re both being packed off to the war together, where they’ll be tasked with feeding the army bigwigs and other duties (espionage, probably) as assigned.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Rounding up and packing off millions of people across the country would require a massive deployment of resources and far more detention capacity.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Jonjo Shelvey, a man who made more than 200 appearances for Newcastle and had earned six England caps, looked out of place and out of sorts at Forest, before being packed off to Turkish football.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Cox was packed off to prison, with a death sentence that hangs over him still.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
An additional million had been thrown into arbitrary detention or packed off to penal colonies and labor camps.
—Gary J. Bass, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2018
Police quickly nabbed him, and he was packed off to a reformatory.
—Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 16 June 2024
Elvis sang in the congregation and, according to lore, often was packed off for revivals and camp meetings.
—Lois Armstrong, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024
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.
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 21 June 2025
Several months later, on the day that Antonin and Agathe open Patisserie Carême, Antonin and Talleyrand learn that they’re both being packed off to the war together, where they’ll be tasked with feeding the army bigwigs and other duties (espionage, probably) as assigned.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Rounding up and packing off millions of people across the country would require a massive deployment of resources and far more detention capacity.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Jonjo Shelvey, a man who made more than 200 appearances for Newcastle and had earned six England caps, looked out of place and out of sorts at Forest, before being packed off to Turkish football.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Cox was packed off to prison, with a death sentence that hangs over him still.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
An additional million had been thrown into arbitrary detention or packed off to penal colonies and labor camps.
—Gary J. Bass, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2018
Police quickly nabbed him, and he was packed off to a reformatory.
—Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 16 June 2024
Elvis sang in the congregation and, according to lore, often was packed off for revivals and camp meetings.
—Lois Armstrong, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Pack off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack%20off. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share