as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
a quick, offhanded suggestion that was actually much better than any of the prepared proposals
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Recent Examples of offhanded
The songs on the last few Bon Iver albums often sound like excerpts from a longer dialogue, at turns offhanded and intense, among collaborators.
—
Mitch Therieau, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
So this little offhanded comment of his changed my life.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
An offhanded comment from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker at the Sept. 30 council meeting is generating controversy online.
—Amanda McCoy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025
Its language, instead, is a chilly French chicness: spiky, refined, offhanded, exuding effortlessness through extraordinary effort.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 27 July 2025
Mistress constantly has her wheels turning looking for avenues to rattle the queens, but Nicole does so with a single offhanded comment that cuts to the quick.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 23 May 2025
During last week's postgame media availability, Jalen Hurts made a seemingly offhanded comment about Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
In a recent interview, the former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made an offhanded comment that connected a few dots for me.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
That isn’t to say that Le Gros, a true indie O.G. who seems to get better with age, and McCarthy don’t give equally nuanced turns, or that Donaldson’s deft way of embedding deep, complicated back stories in offhanded conversational details don’t add to the film immensely.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2024
Mitch Therieau, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
So this little offhanded comment of his changed my life.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
An offhanded comment from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker at the Sept. 30 council meeting is generating controversy online.
—Amanda McCoy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025
Its language, instead, is a chilly French chicness: spiky, refined, offhanded, exuding effortlessness through extraordinary effort.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 27 July 2025
Mistress constantly has her wheels turning looking for avenues to rattle the queens, but Nicole does so with a single offhanded comment that cuts to the quick.
—Chris Feil, Vulture, 23 May 2025
During last week's postgame media availability, Jalen Hurts made a seemingly offhanded comment about Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
In a recent interview, the former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made an offhanded comment that connected a few dots for me.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
That isn’t to say that Le Gros, a true indie O.G. who seems to get better with age, and McCarthy don’t give equally nuanced turns, or that Donaldson’s deft way of embedding deep, complicated back stories in offhanded conversational details don’t add to the film immensely.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offhanded
Adjective
-
Instead of choosing one, Haze turned the process into an impromptu auction, asking buyers to bid against each other in $100,000 increments.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
-
His father, a volcano-curious engineer, drove him to the airport, where the elder Einarsson had convinced an airline pilot to take an impromptu flight over the new volcano.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
In March, a man bearing an AR-15-style rifle crashed a car loaded with improvised explosives into a Michigan Jewish preschool near dismissal time.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
-
The over 13-minute uncut interview shows the rapper thoroughly unsettling Colbert, in an improvised rap about, among other things, a romantic relationship between the pair of them.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Intrigued by the world of espionage, Bond finds an unexpected ally in M (Priyanga Burford), who sees his potential as an agent capable of taking control in messy situations by leaning into his instinctive and improvisational style.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
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From his early days as a teen phenom to his more measured solo work and experimentation with free jazz, Rollins was revered for his improvisational skill.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offhanded. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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