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
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
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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Callers wishing to remain anonymous are encouraged to call the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line at 410-222-4700 or contact Crime Stoppers at 866-7LOCKUP or online here.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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If a person exclusively spent every weekday sitting in an office cubicle before heading to the gym, that person might wish for the chance to take a walk outside once in a while — horses feel the same way, Cobb said.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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New York City’s political power is officially passing off to the millennial generation.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
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On the final chance in the first half, the Dolphins couldn’t even get the Hail Mary pass off, with Tagovailoa taking a sack.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Coon’s Agnes is a broken woman desperately looking for companionship following the devastating loss of her son and the physical and emotional violence inflicted on her by her ex-husband.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
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The scheme affected more than 10,000 people across the country and inflicted more than $25 million in victim losses, the statement said.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The rub is that mandatory gratuities, the 15% to 20% that restaurants often impose on parties of six people or more, aren’t eligible for the deduction, a disappointment to the restaurant and foodservice industry, which held out hope for a different outcome.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
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Scenes start, jarringly, without introduction or fanfare, as though we’ve been vaulted into the action; the plot resists all attempts by the viewer to impose any kind of order.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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And there’s an art to delegating, without seemingly palming off work to your team.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2023
Verb
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The school also posted a picture of the center, who reportedly has a 7-4 wingspan, palming two basketballs on the program’s website.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
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Major League Baseball wagged a finger with one hand and palmed gate receipts and a new TV deal in the other.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fob off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fob%20off. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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