1
: coming or moving away from the shore toward the water
an offshore breeze
2
a
: situated off the shore but within waters under a country's control
offshore fisheries
b
: distant from the shore compare inshore
3
: situated or operating in a foreign country
offshore mutual funds
offshore banking
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshȯr 
: off the shore of
Synonyms
Examples of offshore in a Sentence
Adjective
We sailed to an offshore island.
He works on an offshore oil rig.
They opened an offshore bank account.
He traced the money to an offshore investment company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
During its Monday mission, the rocket was ambitiously poised to land a first-stage booster on the ship Jacklyn offshore in the Atlantic Ocean for future reuse, with the rocket’s second stage continuing into orbit.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2025
The assessment will consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects, the economic costs associated with the intermittent generation of electricity and the effect of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry, the order states.
—Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
Bubbles emerge from a methane seep offshore Virginia.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
See all Example Sentences for offshore 
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Adverb
The key objective of the uncrewed spaceflight was for the second stage of the vehicle to safely reach orbit before Blue Origin attempted to land the rocket booster, or first stage, on a barge several hundred miles offshore in the Atlantic.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
During its Monday mission, the rocket was ambitiously poised to land a first-stage booster on the ship Jacklyn offshore in the Atlantic Ocean for future reuse, with the rocket’s second stage continuing into orbit.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
In March and April, offshore wind power generated more electricity in the U.S. than coal.
—Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2025
The assessment will consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects, the economic costs associated with the intermittent generation of electricity and the effect of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry, the order states.
—Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Preposition
The Outer Continental Shelf offshore Maine is virgin water for wind.
—Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
Bubbles emerge from a methane seep offshore Virginia.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
See all Example Sentences for offshore
Articles Related to offshore
Dictionary Entries Near offshore
Cite this Entry
“Offshore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshore. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offshore
1 of 2 adverb
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˈshō(ə)r
-ˈshȯ(ə)r
: from the shore : at a distance from the shore
offshore
2 of 2 adjective
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshō(ə)r
-ˌshȯ(ə)r
1
: coming or moving away from the shore
an offshore breeze
2
: located off the shore
offshore islands
an offshore oil rig
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