1
as in wrong
falling short of a standard
the milk tasted off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
the computer is off, so you'll have to turn it on in order to use it
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3
as in erroneous
not being in agreement with what is true
that claim that everyone is actually related to everyone else seems a bit off
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4
as in small
small in degree
on the off chance that you do get straight A's, you can skip a grade
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5
as in spicy
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a telltale smirk suggested that there was something off about his parting shot
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as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately
the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of off
CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Two days off between games left James looking spry, with lob dunks and dunks on the fast break contributing to his 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
With off days on Thursday and Sunday, Vitello used all eight relievers at least once.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
The equivalent of a soccer ball is enough to off a seal or dolphin.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off
Adverb
The UConn assistant took just a couple of days off to pop by Chestnut Hill this week before rejoining the Huskies for a trip to the Final Four.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Two days off between games left James looking spry, with lob dunks and dunks on the fast break contributing to his 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Hamlin is still off to a great start, having won a race and sitting third in the point standings entering an off week.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
With off days on Thursday and Sunday, Vitello used all eight relievers at least once.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Powell stars as a man offing his obscenely wealthy family to resecure an inheritance.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Dec. 2025
The equivalent of a soccer ball is enough to off a seal or dolphin.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off
Adverb
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But others on the board are less sure of their stance, and a final decision is likely still a ways away.—
Mary Ramsey
April 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
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So many people wanted to participate before the 2025-26 season that the coaching staff had to turn them away.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sometimes that’s totally wrong, because people are overestimating their kids or underestimating Joan Mitchell or whomever.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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Or show off the Sombor Shuffle with an 11-footer off the wrong foot.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Adding defensive end Rashan Gary will help bolster a pass rush that was dormant for stretches at a time last season, and bringing in safety Jalen Thompson will give some reliability on the back end that Dallas desperately needed after giving up the most passing yards of any team in the NFL in 2025.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
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While homeowners fear their brown lawns mean dead grass, Cline and others say lawns that look brown in spring are merely lying dormant.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But those who in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made erroneous predictions of imminent mass starvation erred by underestimating the world‑changing potential of grasses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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Complaints vary from inquiries sent through the website going unanswered and erroneous card charges to broken or ineffective merchandise.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The cab’s dark interior seems to lure Rauschenberg in, but perhaps he was also drawn to the small round window, like a porthole, above the seat, which looks out at the distance behind the carriage.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
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Consider reshuffling your to-do list, because a small shift could save money and protect your energy.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The minibar brimmed with complimentary sodas, addictively spicy small-batch pimento cheese Lowcountry Kettle Chips, and lemon sugar cookies from Charleston’s Own.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
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If the kids are pushing for a Big Mac or Chick-fil-A spicy deluxe chicken sandwich, but the budget can’t support it, there’s a hack for that.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In September, Charlie Kirk, Turning Point’s founder, had been assassinated by a gunman at Utah Valley University.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Haiti was plunged into crisis in 2021, when mercenaries assassinated President Jovenel Moise.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The accusations have made a dent on prediction markets like Kalshi, where Swalwell’s odds of winning the governor’s race dipped to 39% on Tuesday night, down from a high of nearly 73% on March 20.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Only in the second half, with the Heat down 16, did the two share time on the court together, and then only briefly.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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