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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
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
-
When things later calmed down, Mossack Fonseca did resign from some clients that wished to leave.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
According to a Washington Examiner poll of GOP lawmakers, 47% of Republican senators wish to keep the filibuster in place.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
New York City’s political power is officially passing off to the millennial generation.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
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
-
Most of the victims had execution-style wounds, some of which were inflicted with two quick shots at very close range, leaving traces of gunpowder on the bodies.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Yet a return to war by the Israeli military would extend the unimaginable suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza, and the condemnation of the international community.—
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
And there’s an art to delegating, without seemingly palming off work to your team.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2023
Verb
-
Gross also got Brighton’s second after David de Gea palmed Solly March’s shot from right side of the box back into danger.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Slicing this way makes the lemons easier to palm.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fob off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fob%20off. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share