off-screen

adverb or adjective

variants or offscreen
1
: out of sight of the movie or television viewer
a shot fired off-screen
Before long, Anthony introduces himself to the family pooch, who is whooshed away to an off-screen death.Kris Turnquist
2
: in private life : when not appearing in a movie, on television, etc.
Moyer's off-screen magnetism comes from a down-to-earth friendliness.Kate Hahn
Pfeiffer, 34, remains a mystery woman offscreen.Michael A. Lipton

Examples of off-screen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Much to fans' delight, they were spotted kissing in a car in July 2021, confirming their off-screen romance. Erin Clack, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Here's a look back at the on-screen to off-screen relationship. Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025 In When the Phone Rings, this applies to both Hee-joo and In-a, who has a mysterious, off-screen procedure that restores her ability to hear. Kayti Burt, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025 After meeting on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, the costars went on to appear in the film’s sequel, Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), before their off-screen romance went public just six months prior to the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home in December 2021. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2024 Jenkins’ film can be alarmingly violent at times, although the PG rating presumably explains why every death occurs off-screen. Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024 Many attribute the success of the film to the duo’s on- and off-screen chemistry. Emily Burns, WWD, 17 Dec. 2024 After breezing by Swordmaster Keiran and apparently torturing a smuggler (off-screen, fortunately), Desmond and his armed thugs hit the imperial city’s hottest club. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2024 The man wakes up and confronts the cleaner, sources say, but whatever happens next takes place off-screen. Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-screen was in 1916

Dictionary Entries Near off-screen

Cite this Entry

“Off-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-screen. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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