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

Kleinman says that, beyond the desire to emulate players such as Ronaldo, there is a drop-off in individual care and development that occurs once a player moves from academy level to first team. —Sarah Shephard, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025

Along the route to the red carpet drop-off point at the Beverly Hilton, security barriers and an array of cameras have been strategically installed, per a video shared to X by Deadline. —Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2025

Verb

Hours later, just before 1:50 a.m., a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven by Bush dropped off Freeman, who was wearing a mask and dressed in all black, officials said. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2025

The total number of eligible EVs has actually increased in 2025, from 24 last year to 27 this year, but a number of automakers' products have also dropped off the list in the process. —Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above