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
Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
There's been speculation about former Superman actor and The Witcher star Henry Cavill joining season 2, due in part to an offhand comment made by Ansell during a Comic-Con panel.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 23 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
The key question here is whether the comment was feedback to be considered or simply an offhand remark to be dismissed.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
There's been speculation about former Superman actor and The Witcher star Henry Cavill joining season 2, due in part to an offhand comment made by Ansell during a Comic-Con panel.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 23 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
-
Staff here are always at the ready during the day to prepare specialty coffees for those who choose to make the lounge an impromptu office.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
Those comments, viewed dimly by some German politicians, prompted the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), which bankrolls and oversees the Berlinale, to call an impromptu meeting to discuss the future of the Berlinale and Tricia Tuttle’s leadership as festival director.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
Adverb
-
Something casually exchanged could become strategically useful.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
The footage shows officers carefully opening the bathroom door before the confused bear casually strolls out and heads down the sidewalk to freedom while officers and bystanders scatter out of the way.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Allison Barr/The Oregonian via AP Portland police said in a statement Saturday night that during an ensuing search of the vehicle and building, investigators located several incendiary and improvised explosive devices, some of which had partially detonated.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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She was blessed with an unstinting energy and buoyancy that had her dashing off postcards far and wide, answering e-mails with improvised poetry, and cold-calling younger writers to offer encouragement.—
Pico Iyer,
Air Mail,
2 May 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
-
Joined on his visit by son Hunter, what Fieri (and likely many viewers) discovered was a chef turning out dishes that are at once creative and accessible, improvisational yet simple.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
But seeing the improvisational group War Babies provided the clarity Short desperately needed.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adverb
-
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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This undermines our Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures — in other words, everyone deserves to drive without fear of being arbitrarily pulled over.—
Lauren Aung,
Washington Post,
23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
During the pavilion’s preview, a brief but loud protest led by Russian dissident disruptors Pussy Riot and the Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN might have been the most exciting thing to happen at the underwhelming and carelessly presented group show of live performance and video art.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
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They were exposed down the left with Cody Gakpo, Mac Allister and Andy Robertson constantly being caught out of position when Liverpool turned the ball over carelessly.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
Adverb
-
Instead, the conversation tends to play out informally, among audiences and peers.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Before the Twenty-fifth, Presidents had informally handed over power to the Vice-President during medical issues or temporary absences, but always voluntarily.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offhand. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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