as in removing
to rid oneself of (a garment)
peeled off the wet clothes and tossed them over the shower rod
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in exiting
to leave a place often for another
it's rude to peel off like that without thanking your host
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of peeling (off)
Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Critics note the time and effort needed to remove stubborn labels—after all, few things are more irritating than peeling off a label and being met with sticky residue.
—Caelan McMichael, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025
Their charred bark was peeling off in curls, like terra-cotta tiles.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Bricks look weathered and soot-stained, there’s graffiti on the walls, posters are peeling off them and shadows of moving people are even projected onto the windows of the train in the station.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In which case, Kim’s group has a second method for peeling off individual atom-thick monolayers.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Oct. 2018
Verb
Barely caring that the fake-tin ceiling was peeling off in one corner and had to be shoved back up once or twice a week with a broomstick.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Critics note the time and effort needed to remove stubborn labels—after all, few things are more irritating than peeling off a label and being met with sticky residue.
—Caelan McMichael, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025
Their charred bark was peeling off in curls, like terra-cotta tiles.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Bricks look weathered and soot-stained, there’s graffiti on the walls, posters are peeling off them and shadows of moving people are even projected onto the windows of the train in the station.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In which case, Kim’s group has a second method for peeling off individual atom-thick monolayers.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Oct. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Peeling (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeling%20%28off%29. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share