as in to wish
to offer (something fake, useless, or inferior) as genuine, useful, or valuable
people who try to fob off to charities broken-down furniture that is fit only for the junkyard
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Recent Examples of fob off
Whether out of pride, ideological zeal or an instinct to haggle for even the tiniest advantage, Iranian leaders will be tempted to stall — to drag out negotiations, fob off the U.S. with flashy promises and try to trip up their American counterparts in highly technical details.
—
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Your potential clients are terrified of being sold the dream then fobbed off to a junior team member.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
While attempting to film his daughter's dance, Miguel Angel Michel, 66, couldn't control his feet and eventually fobbed off his phone altogether, earning 4.2 million views on TikTok.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Not only does Israel not have spare luxury jets lying around to fob off on the American president, but the country took nine years to retrofit and launch its own version of Air Force One, and the process was a national fiasco.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
But despite previous transparency around the cost-cutting measures, employees inquiring about how the budget cuts have impacted their performance review will now be fobbed off.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2023
Most chose instead to fob off the hard decisions to central bankers.
—William Pesek, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Your potential clients are terrified of being sold the dream then fobbed off to a junior team member.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
While attempting to film his daughter's dance, Miguel Angel Michel, 66, couldn't control his feet and eventually fobbed off his phone altogether, earning 4.2 million views on TikTok.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Not only does Israel not have spare luxury jets lying around to fob off on the American president, but the country took nine years to retrofit and launch its own version of Air Force One, and the process was a national fiasco.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
But despite previous transparency around the cost-cutting measures, employees inquiring about how the budget cuts have impacted their performance review will now be fobbed off.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2023
Most chose instead to fob off the hard decisions to central bankers.
—William Pesek, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fob off
Verb
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But as the world wished her well, Catherine slowly began to recover.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
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So many things that [Brown] did that was good for our football team, and will wish him the best of luck.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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And in overtime, Troy Terry’s bump pass off the side wall was picked off by Jack Eichel, who squeezed a pass through multiple Anaheim bodies that ricocheted off Dostál to Dorofeyev, who hammered the puck in.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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The standout Indian kitchen has tandoor ovens — an industry rarity — meaning curries arrive with real naan instead of the pita many other ships pass off as a substitute.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Several analysts argue that an open Strait of Hormuz, even one partly controlled by Iran, would inflict less damage on the global economy than one that is closed.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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The more likely to be comfortable inflicting pain on the other side (and on fans)?—
Dan Shanoff,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The House of Representatives again overrode Republican leaders to pass a bill that would authorize billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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The House's effort to circumvent leadership on support for Ukraine comes as bipartisan legislation in the Senate to impose new economic sanctions on Russia has languished for more than a year, with senators waiting for a green light from the White House.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
Verb
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While other firms have trimmed entry-level hiring as AI takes over the admin tasks normally palmed off to younger workers, EY is actively investing in early-career talent.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
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The unique shape helps keep your palm off the table while offering a spot for your thumb to rest.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Anna Konkle: As a child, knowing where one begins and ends in relation to one’s parents (especially amidst loud, unpredictable hippies) is like palming through a bucket of rice for a single grain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
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Sibley, trying to get between Popov and his friends, made contact with the teen, palms out and open handed, and Popov stabbed him in the heart, Jafari said.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fob off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fob%20off. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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