reel off

verb

reeled off; reeling off; reels off

transitive verb

1
: to tell or recite readily and usually at length
reel off a few jokes to break the ice
2
: to chalk up usually as a series

Examples of reel off in a Sentence

he's able to reel off the names of all the U.S. presidents, in historical order and without pausing her friend proceeded to reel off the roster of losers that she had dated over the years
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.
The Bulldogs lost their season opener at Kansas, then reeled off five straight victories. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025 In a sort of overture to his story of the Grand Inquisitor, Ivan reels off various episodes involving the sufferings of children. Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025 The Jaguars, who showed great promise while reeling off three victories, including what seemed like a statement win over the Kansas City Chiefs in prime time, fell flat in a 20-12 loss to the Seahawks. Mike Jones, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 The Keller momentum was brief, as Southlake Carroll reeled off 28 points in the second quarter to forge a 42-7 lead at intermission. Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reel off

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reel off was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reel off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reel%20off. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

reel off

verb
: to tell or recite rapidly and easily
reeled off the right answers

More from Merriam-Webster on reel off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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