as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
she was consistently surly and offish with the would-be suitors who came calling
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Recent Examples of offish
Richard’s other big ally is undervalued and initially stand-offish plant engineer Clarence C. Baker (Dennis Haysbert), who eventually warms to Richard’s interest in his machines, and who encourages him to think big.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Mar. 2023
Guzmán said the stereotype that Germans are stand-offish is way off the mark.
—Soudi Jiménezescritor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2022
But announcements on two continents in the last week show that showing the stand-offish situation is changing, with Royal Dutch Shell and General Motors hooking up in the US and BP buying into a BMW-Daimler charging joint venture in Europe.
—Michael Taylor, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021
Off fans will also find a few cakes, including the show-offish Swedish Prinsesstårta.
—Kate Krader, Bloomberg.com, 13 Nov. 2020
The plaza between the two buildings makes the complex feel open and welcoming, not overbearing or stand-offish.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 4 Oct. 2020
Most of the mentor-teacher characters in kung fu films are extremely stand-offish and intimidating.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 1 July 2020
Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Mar. 2023
Guzmán said the stereotype that Germans are stand-offish is way off the mark.
—Soudi Jiménezescritor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2022
But announcements on two continents in the last week show that showing the stand-offish situation is changing, with Royal Dutch Shell and General Motors hooking up in the US and BP buying into a BMW-Daimler charging joint venture in Europe.
—Michael Taylor, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021
Off fans will also find a few cakes, including the show-offish Swedish Prinsesstårta.
—Kate Krader, Bloomberg.com, 13 Nov. 2020
The plaza between the two buildings makes the complex feel open and welcoming, not overbearing or stand-offish.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 4 Oct. 2020
Most of the mentor-teacher characters in kung fu films are extremely stand-offish and intimidating.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 1 July 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offish
Adjective
-
Gravitational lensing is the best way to infer the presence of incredibly distant objects and measure their mass.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
But for the church officials and the families at Holy Family Church, the pope was not a distant religious figure in a faraway country, but a daily presence.—
Bilal Shbeir,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Out back, there’s a sleek new pool and detached garage, primed for conversion.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The report further indicates that there was one dead rodent in the attached garage, and across the three detached garages, investigators encountered one live rodent, one dead rodent, one nest, and one building with gnaw marks.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Investors blow hot and cold on developmental-stage companies like GenVec, PureCycle and Arcutis.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
What To Know In most states, SNAP beneficiaries are able to purchase only cold foods for preparation at home, as well as snacks and drinks.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Environmental Conditions Native hydrangeas are found in many locations around the world, but all are found in cool, moist woodlands.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Warm days call for feminine blouses and tank tops, while cool nights allow for chunky cardigans and button-downs.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The command center overhead stocked a whole town’s worth (450 tonnes) of equipment — including bunk beds, dry toilets, water, and other supplies — ready to be mobilized into the tunnels below by way of dolly carts.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
The Dial,
24 Apr. 2025
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Since this kit is intended for use with regular polish, consider this Sally Hansen Insta-Dry quick dry polish set.—
Jené Luciani Sena,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Who better to go searching for unidentified flying objects than a snobbish TV host and a reserved extraterrestrial enthusiast?—
Geordon Wollner,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
There are two color schemes to choose between—a reserved palette featuring navy blue and green for a calm, sophisticated look; and a vibrant rainbow palette for those who enjoy bright, energetic colors.—
Emma Kershaw,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Though never a commercial success, the LP made its way into the hands of oddball punks and art-rock weirdos in the Midwest, intriguing many with its aloof approach to merging rock, punk, new-wave, and experimental prog.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2025
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Pratt played the aloof but lovable Andy Dwyer, who held a series of odd jobs in the Parks and Rec department, while Lowe played auditor Chris Traeger.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Its influence on the withdrawn protagonist, Jamie (played by Owen Cooper), is largely implied.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
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The withdrawn San Francisco drama, about lonely nonbinary nanny and restaurant server Cass (Asia Kate Dillon), is simple in its presentation, but disguises numerous layers to its story.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offish. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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