as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
an offhand comment that later caused the politician much embarrassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in casually
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offhand
Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Punt e Mes 3 dashes Angostura Bitters This certainly isn’t the most popular of Manhattan variations, despite being one of the few scotch cocktails people can name offhand.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021
Thomas didn’t know offhand but circled back to him with the answer: Six.
—Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 25 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for offhand
Adjective
That offhand remark set everything in motion, from the designs to the dance floor.
—Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Punt e Mes 3 dashes Angostura Bitters This certainly isn’t the most popular of Manhattan variations, despite being one of the few scotch cocktails people can name offhand.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
The Trolley Problem entails having to make difficult choices, contextually herein in the nature of driving decisions, and is often offhand dismissed by some as a misleading folly in the self-driving realm.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021
Thomas didn’t know offhand but circled back to him with the answer: Six.
—Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 25 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for offhand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offhand
Adjective
-
Adding a 10-15% buffer for unexpected costs — a sick day, a lost bag, an impromptu ice cream stop — can save a lot of stress.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Adding a 10-15% buffer for unexpected costs — a sick day, a lost bag, an impromptu ice cream stop — gives you breathing room.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Words like impatient get thrown around far too casually, especially with younger employees.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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Also, don’t assume that casually telling a rental agent about a problem is enough.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But military experts said Iran may have used its space launch vehicle for an improvised firing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
-
There was a clash with counter-protesters and two Muslim men from Pennsylvania allegedly threw improvised explosive devices.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Sometimes, Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock will offhandedly give you career advice.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 Nov. 2025
-
The tragedy side of things is addressed rather offhandedly — occasionally the movie will remember the boggling grief and betrayal at its center, only to shrug it off again just as quickly.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Against this backdrop, the president’s messaging has grown more improvisational.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Considering its loose, improvisational dialogue, stilted line readings, and tendency to break the fourth wall, Tender Touches feels a lot like a show Rick and Morty might stumble across while channel surfing on their interdimensional cable box.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Salvadoran nationals who were deported from the United States have been arbitrarily detained in El Salvador and have disappeared into the Central American nation's prison system, according to a Human Rights Watch report released on Monday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Children are not cars whose gas tanks can simply be carelessly overfilled.—
Lauren Arikan,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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For the visitors’ winner, Anthony Gordon unwisely attempted to dribble inside his own half and carelessly lost possession.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Mehl notes that some organizations attempt to manage IT informally, purchasing software subscriptions and hardware without building a structured support system around them.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
-
All were dressed informally, except for their sky-high show heels.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offhand. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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