come off as
idiom
: to seem to be (a specified quality or character)
He's really just shy, but he comes off as a little arrogant.
He came off as a stuffy old man.
Examples of come off as in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The effect doesn’t come off as gimmicky, but rather makes for a deeply poignant story, told largely in Fox’s own words.
—
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 9 May 2023
But some bits, like Rogers missing his daughter’s recital while trying to seal the deal, come off as cliché.
—WIRED, 31 Mar. 2023
His evident pride in his films doesn’t come off as arrogant so much as affable, and even his humblebrags are couched in introspection.
—Adam Nayman, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2023
Complementary colors blue and orange can come off as strong, but when used in grayed-back tones like the blues and oranges in this space, the palette manages to be eye-catching, but not overwhelming.
—Marisa Donnelly, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2023
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Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 9 May 2023
But some bits, like Rogers missing his daughter’s recital while trying to seal the deal, come off as cliché.
—WIRED, 31 Mar. 2023
His evident pride in his films doesn’t come off as arrogant so much as affable, and even his humblebrags are couched in introspection.
—Adam Nayman, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2023
Complementary colors blue and orange can come off as strong, but when used in grayed-back tones like the blues and oranges in this space, the palette manages to be eye-catching, but not overwhelming.
—Marisa Donnelly, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for come off as
Cite this Entry
“Come off as.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20off%20as. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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