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
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Expect impromptu plans with friends or family and little side quests that end up being the highlight of your week.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
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Other quirky clips included her impromptu bouquet toss and high heels nearly breaking.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Charlotte Reiss's kitchen in the heart of Provence is a casually elegant space that would put any home cook at ease.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
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Bierman captured the moment as Wetjen stood near the green, casually holding a wedge while taking the call — a scene that somehow makes getting drafted to the NFL feel like just another Saturday afternoon.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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German described the improvised but careful transport down from the nest.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
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Vargas and his ensemble of both professional and first-time actors used a semi-improvised approach to shoot the film.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
17 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Sometimes, Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock will offhandedly give you career advice.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 Nov. 2025
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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
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This is in part attributable to his fully improvisational approach to song construction, writing nothing down.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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And the six actors in this farcical rom-com are united in their performance style and improvisational tone.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The constitutional principle behind that decision – that citizenship is a fundamental right which can’t be arbitrarily taken away by whoever happens to be in power – applies equally to how the government handles denaturalization cases today.—
Cassandra Burke Robertson,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
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These types of homes should not be arbitrarily restricted from the state’s residential areas.—
Eliza Terziev,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Its international airport — which only recently reopened — has the remains of propeller planes carelessly tossed to the side of the runway, their bodies riddled with bullet holes and their wings askew.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
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Treat the produce section carelessly.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Crawling the walls Orson Welles learned to draw from his mother, who informally homeschooled the budding artist during his childhood, which was marked by grave illnesses including malaria and diphtheria.—
Michelle Duncan,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
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The public signing of the Executive Order 26-3 comes in the final three weeks of a legislative session that has yet to resolve how much of the $500 million informally earmarked for addressing affordability issues will go to aid for municipalities facing sharply higher education costs.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offhand. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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