the off
noun
British
1
: the beginning of a race
2
: the very beginning
Right from the off, I knew she was against me.
Examples of the off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Democrats have used affordability as their underlying campaign message en route to overperforming in elections across the country and producing double-digit wins in the off-year gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Quite a crowd had gathered by then, most of them the retired and the conventioneers who wander aimlessly up and down Kalakaua Avenue in the off seasons, and, when two police officers finally drove up, the crowd clapped.
—Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
The second-half success showed the potential, and the off-script throws are impressive, but the Bears can’t live in that type of offense.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Falcone, The Italian Concierge Go in the off-season.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the off
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Joey Garrison, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Quite a crowd had gathered by then, most of them the retired and the conventioneers who wander aimlessly up and down Kalakaua Avenue in the off seasons, and, when two police officers finally drove up, the crowd clapped.
—Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
The second-half success showed the potential, and the off-script throws are impressive, but the Bears can’t live in that type of offense.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Falcone, The Italian Concierge Go in the off-season.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the off
Cite this Entry
“The off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20off. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.
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