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
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
The race saw on-again off-again challenger Juan Beto Ruiz ultimately removed from the ballot due to a missing maternal surname on his nomination petitions.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Steaming down the his off wing on the left side, Murtagh made a strong move to the inside to get position on defenseman Drew Fortescue and then slipped the puck between Cloutier’s pads for the 3-2 advantage.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 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
Their characters, Owen (McKidd) and Teddy (Raver), have a long-standing, on-again and off-again relationship.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
The race saw on-again off-again challenger Juan Beto Ruiz ultimately removed from the ballot due to a missing maternal surname on his nomination petitions.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Auriemma and a few players spent a off day at a Marriott filming various spots.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
Steaming down the his off wing on the left side, Murtagh made a strong move to the inside to get position on defenseman Drew Fortescue and then slipped the puck between Cloutier’s pads for the 3-2 advantage.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 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
-
Liveried valets addressed me by name, whisked away my luggage, and accompanied me up a flight of stairs to the Waldorf’s signature bar and lobby lounge, Peacock Alley.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But no one reading the book will come away with the sense that studies are often contested, or that many of the findings of social psychology and economics remain unsettled, or that results can be interpreted in many ways.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If that doesn't open your eyes in law enforcement, something's wrong with you.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Both assumptions are increasingly wrong.—
Brian Barlow,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After a recent arrest in the long-dormant case, some agents say the barrage of threats persist — and not enough is done to protect them.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Following 26 dormant innings to start the season, the Giants had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth against All-Star closer David Bednar.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Some of the district's smallest elementary schools now serve only a couple of hundred students, limiting available resources.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Higher bond yields ripple through all kinds of credit markets, making everything from mortgages to small-business loans more expensive.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Then there’s upscale Mexican restaurant El Molino, with its spicy twist on local Baja California cuisine, and Farina e Olio, an oceanfront Italian trattoria serving melt-in-your-mouth ravioli and life-altering desserts.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The red king, which is a spicy version of their pork broth ramen, was worth the years of anticipation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And Israel had been conducting a campaign to assassinate Iranian scientists, which made the prospect of lethal reprisal highly plausible.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Tyler, Andrea’s making the point that on the surface there are talks happening but there are no real direct negotiations at those highest levels, in part because so many people have been assassinated.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
True was in her office inside the restaurant shortly after the lunch rush Monday afternoon when a customer came in and said the Chinese restaurant a couple doors down was on fire.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The $10 general admission during the Lilac Festival on weekends includes petting zoo, lilac maze, hoe down & jug band shows, lawn games, and lilac viewing.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
