off

1 of 6

adverb

ˈȯf 

1

a(1)

: from a place or position

march off

specifically : away from land

ship stood off to sea

(2)

: at a distance in space or time

stood 10 paces off

a long way off

b

: from a course : aside

turned off into a bypath

specifically : away from the wind

The ship eased off a point or two.

c

: into an unconscious state

dozed off

2

a

: so as to be separated from support

rolled to the edge of the table and off

or close contact

blew the lid off

the handle came off

b

: so as to be divided

surface marked off into squares

3

a

: to a state of discontinuance or suspension

shut off an engine

b

—used as an intensifier

drink off a glass

finish it off

4

: in absence from or suspension of regular work or service

take time off for lunch

5

: offstage

The actor turns and goes off.

off

2 of 6

preposition

1

a

—used as a function word to indicate physical separation or distance from a position of rest, attachment, or union

take it off the table

a path off the main walk

a shop just off the main street

b

: to seaward of

two miles off shore

2

: from the possession or charge of

had his wallet stolen off him

3

—used as a function word to indicate the object of an action

borrowed a dollar off him

dined off oysters

4

a

—used as a function word to indicate the suspension of an occupation or activity

off duty

off liquor

b

: below the usual standard or level of

off his game

off

3 of 6

adjective

1

a

: seaward

b

: right

c

: more removed or distant

the off side of the building

2

a

: started on the way

off on a spree

b

: not taking place or staying in effect : canceled

the deal was off

c

: not operating

d

: not placed so as to permit operation

3

a

: not corresponding to fact : incorrect

off in his reckoning

b

: poor, subnormal

c

: not entirely sane : eccentric

d

: remote, slight

an off chance

4

a

: spent off duty

reading on his off days

b

: marked by a periodic decline in activity or business

traveled in the off season for lower prices

5

a

: off-color

b

: inferior

off grade of oil

also : affected with putrefaction

c

: down

stocks were off

6

: circumstanced

worse off

off

4 of 6

verb

offed; offing; offs

intransitive verb

: to go away : depart

—used chiefly as an imperative

Off, or I'll shoot!

transitive verb

slang : kill, murder

off

5 of 6

abbreviation

office; officer; official

-off

6 of 6

noun combining form

ˌȯf

: competition : contest

cook-off

dance-off

Synonyms

Adverb

• away
• down
• fro
• hence
• out

Adjective

• bad
• bastard
• bush
• bush-league
• crummy
• crumby
• deficient
• dissatisfactory
• ill
• inferior
• lame
• lousy
• paltry
• poor
• punk
• sour
• suboptimal
• subpar
• substandard
• unacceptable
• unsatisfactory
• wack [slang]
• wanting
• wretched
• wrong

Verb

• assassinate
• bump off
• croak [slang]
• dispatch
• do in
• execute
• get
• ice [slang]
• knock off
• liquidate
• murder
• neutralize
• put away
• rub out
• slay
• snuff
• take out
• terminate
• whack [slang]

Examples of off in a Sentence

Adverb

She put on her jacket and off she went.

The car turned off onto a side street.

Preposition

She is still living off her parents.

The family lives off welfare.

They live off the land.

They make their living off tourism.

Adjective

The lever is in the off position.

He is off playing golf.

She is off on a trip.

Verb

The movie is about a gangster who gets power by offing his rivals.

the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Staff writer Laura Lancaster’s ideal headlamp would have a single button for on, off, and red. —Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024

While average wage gains continue to outstrip price hikes, leaving many households better off than before the pandemic, steeper expenses for everything from child care to home insurance have left plenty of consumers fed up and looking for change. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024

Preposition

Follow Taylor Swift’s advice after Chiefs debacle: Shake it off. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024

By the time the British — doubly warned by the IRA and by the Palace Barracks, who tipped off Scotland Yard after getting wind of the plan through an informant — get to the bombs, the crew is already at Heathrow. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024

Adjective

The biggest problem with the bullpen approach is that the more pitchers a team uses in a game, the chances multiply of at least one of them having an off night. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2024

The key to success is to switch your attention from keyword optimization to offering genuine value through interactive features, user-centric content and effective off-page methods. —Adhip Ray, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Verb

The Penguin, which brings back Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb from that first movie, is similarly a Scarface story about a low-level gangster who takes advantage of a power vacuum in the criminal underworld after the Riddler offed his boss, mobster Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). —Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024

Anton offs his parents and his besties before figuring out what’s going on. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adverb, Preposition, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English of, from Old English — more at of

Noun combining form

runoff

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1717, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

off

1 of 3 adverb

ˈȯf 

1

a

: from a place or position

march off

stood 10 paces off

drove the dogs off

b

: from a course : aside

turned off onto a side street

c

: into an unconscious state

dozed off

2

: so as to be separated from support or close contact

rolled to the edge of the table and off

the handle came off

3

: so as to be divided

surface marked off into squares

4

: so as to be stopped or finished

shut off an engine

a coat of paint to finish it off

5

: away from work

took the day off

off

2 of 3 preposition

(ˈ)ȯf

1

: away from the surface, position, or place of

take it off the table

the ball bounced off the wall

a path off the main road

2

—used to indicate the object of an action

borrowed a dollar off him

living off my parents

3

a

: released or freed from

off duty

b

: below the usual level of

off her game

a dollar off the price

off

3 of 3 adjective

(ˈ)ȯf

1

a

: not left : right

the off horse

b

: more distant

the off side of the building

2

: started on the way

off on a trip

they're off and running

3

a

: not taking place

the game is off

b

: not operating

the radio is off

4

a

: not correct : wrong

these numbers are off

your guess is way off

b

: not entirely sane

c

: small in degree : slight

an off chance

5

: being not as busy as usual

liked to vacation during the off season

6

a

: not very good : poor

an off grade of oil

b

: below or down from the normal

stocks were off

offered at 15% off

7

: provided for or taken care of

we were better off before