drop-off

1 of 2

noun

ˈdräp-ˌȯf 

1

: a very steep or perpendicular descent

2

: a marked dwindling or decline

a drop-off in attendance

3

: the act or an instance of making a usually brief deposit or delivery

drop-off points along the route

drop off

2 of 2

verb

ˌdräp-ˈȯf 

dropped off; dropping off; drops off

intransitive verb

: to fall asleep

Synonyms

Noun

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• shrinkage
• step-down

Examples of drop-off in a Sentence

Noun

the drop-off in movie attendance was the greatest in more than a decade

Verb

my interest in photography has dropped off over the years

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Children who have fled instability or danger in their home countries are now being forced to contend with a new crisis: not knowing if their parents will be safe during school drop-off. —Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025

The grants help support Pinecrest’s free residential food scraps drop-off program, the first in Miami-Dade county, and to truck the compost to the Miccosukee’s 4-year-old community garden. —Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025

Verb

Wilson was later dropped off by a group of males at Baton Rouge General Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Morse said. —Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2025

Fryer explained that a neighbor had been dropping off food for the children outside the apartment door, per ABC affiliate WKOW. CPS has placed the children in the care of a family friend, according to FOX 8. —Toria Sheffield, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for drop-off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff