off 1 of 3

adverb

ˈȯf How to pronounce off (audio)
Definition of offnext
as in away
from this or that place move off a few yards before I throw the football

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off

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in wrong
falling short of a standard the milk tasted off

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2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment the computer is off, so you'll have to turn it on in order to use it

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3
as in erroneous
not being in agreement with what is true that claim that everyone is actually related to everyone else seems a bit off

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4
as in small
small in degree on the off chance that you do get straight A's, you can skip a grade

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5
as in spicy
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent a telltale smirk suggested that there was something off about his parting shot

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off

3 of 3

verb

slang
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone

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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 off
Adverb
Get them on sale in a set of two for 20 percent off before they’re gone. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2026 Despite months of negotiations, Tehran and Washington seem poised to keep fighting on and off in an effort to wear down the other’s materiel and willpower. — Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Police say 46-year-old Larry Montes struck a congregant, smashed property, then spat on and headbutted a security officer before being tackled by an off-duty cop. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Stearns noted the schedule’s remaining off-days should allow McLean and others to get five days off in between many of their upcoming starts. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
The masked murderer attempted to kill Sidney (Neve Campbell) in a bathroom in the original 1996 Scream, and succeeded in offing Phil (Omar Epps) in a movie theater bathroom stall in the 1997 sequel. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Feb. 2026 Keen observers, Anglophiles, and anyone who watches movies made before 1972 will notice more than a casual similarity to Kind Hearts and Coronets, the old Ealing comedy in which an enterprising young Dennis Price attempts to off his relatives in order to claim the family fortune. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off
  1. away
  2. wrong
  3. dormant
  4. erroneous
  5. small
  6. spicy
  7. assassinate
  8. down
Adverb
  • Although hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Alphabet continue to drive the bulk of AI deployment, investors worry that capital expenditures have expanded dramatically while full commercial monetization remains 6 to 9 months away.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Upgrades in recent years have not taken away the old-school feel of a venue that once hosted NFL exhibition games in the 1950s and ‘60s.
    — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of away
Adjective
  • Remember, taking the wrong benefit at the wrong time is always smaller and forever.
    — Thomas Hager, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, therapy should do more than help people identify what’s wrong with their relationships.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • For me, Sliman was pouring water on a dormant seed anxious to sprout.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Various micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, yeasts) can also lie dormant in the tissues for centuries and can recolonize and multiply due to a ready supply of organic material—particularly if the remains have been stored in suboptimal conditions.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Towers told ProPublica that the audit had reached erroneous conclusions, that the auditors did not give him the opportunity to fully defend his work and that the journal’s willingness to stand by the study is proof that his research is sound.
    — Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • For example, antiquarian scholars introduced the erroneous notion that druids built stone circles—most notably Stonehenge—for their ceremonies, an idea that became embedded in the popular imagination during the 18th century.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of erroneous
Adjective
  • That’s a dangerous prospect for any country, but especially for Singapore, crammed into a space smaller than New York City.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But after home brewers were able to show the appeal of hoppy IPAs, malty stouts and citrusy wheat ales, that eventually led to a boom in small breweries.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Nightcap is a deliciously addictive gourmand, blending cozy vanilla and rich woods with sparkling ginger and cardamom for a spicy-sweet twist.
    — Allure Editors, Allure, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The dish is spicy enough and not so thick with cream or flour and is a standout in the clam chowder world, according to Times reader Mary Ann Mollenkamp.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of spicy
Verb
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attempting to assassinate one of his sons on Monday.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Among them is the son of Fred Hampton, a senior leader of the Black Panther Party who was assassinated by the FBI in 1969, at the age of 21.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Adverb
  • If all these additional investments pan out, only 10% of the world’s oil will need to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, down from 20% before the war.
    — Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Tehran's crude loadings are down about 70% in August from 893,000 bpd last month.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of down

Browse Nearby Words

of course
off
offal
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Cite this Entry

“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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