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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in small
small in degree
on the off chance that you do get straight A's, you can skip a grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 off
Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
While police guess that friction or his body heat triggered the homemade bomb, could Michelle have used her alien teleporter to set it somehow off?
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Both teams enter Saturday after an off week.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2025
The disturbance that moved from over North Florida to off North Florida’s Atlantic Coast became Tropical Depression 3 Friday afternoon.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off
Adverb
Cozy Earth Soft Woven Long Sleeve Pajama Set Loungewear, bedding, and more are up to 50 percent off during Cozy Earth’s Last Chance Sale, but popular picks are selling out fast.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
While police guess that friction or his body heat triggered the homemade bomb, could Michelle have used her alien teleporter to set it somehow off?
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Virginia’s off-year gubernatorial race is a key bellwether for the mood of the electorate ahead of the key midterms next year.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Both teams enter Saturday after an off week.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Even after people start getting offed, the film’s sense of urgency remains mild.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2025
The disturbance that moved from over North Florida to off North Florida’s Atlantic Coast became Tropical Depression 3 Friday afternoon.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off
Adverb
-
The soft, breathable cotton blend fabric floats away from the body and can be worn both over a shirt and under a jacket.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Freddie nearly stepped away from baseball in 2024 after his son Max was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While most plot details remain under wraps, The Hollywood Reporter previously revealed that one plot point centers on the son of Stiller and Polo’s characters, who gets engaged to a ball-busting woman who seems all wrong for him.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The right kiss will save them, but the wrong one will kill them.—
Brittany Johnson,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
To help your plants establish, make sure to get potted raspberries in the ground at least 4 to 6 weeks before frost is expected, or choose bare root canes, which are dormant and can be planted even later in the season, as long as the ground isn't frozen.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Someone’s words could catch you off guard, or perhaps awaken a part of you that’s been dormant.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
So that's completely erroneous.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Grokipedia also contains some erroneous statements.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Palantir’s revenue figures are still quite small compared to peers of similar market capitalization.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Contractors working on the project recently completed pouring the foundation for what will provide smaller housing units meant to make quarantining detainees with communicable illnesses safer and easier.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Tender and with just a hint of salinity, fresh hauls come in from just off the coast and are served brilliantly with salad and spicy butter.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Buttery and packed with spice, the Cajun compound butter really takes this turkey to the next level without being overly spicy.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trump was close to Abe, who was assassinated after leaving office.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
After he was assassinated in September at Utah Valley University, the first stop on his tour, TPUSA announced Carlson would speak at IU instead.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Early in the second period, Matthews used his size to force a turnover down low and then force a few opportunities.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
My weight would go up and down over the years.—
Ashley Hume , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share