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
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024
Three oil platforms — the Hondo, Harmony, and Heritage — make up the Santa Ynez Unit, several miles offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
Daniel Moore, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Advertisement The conditions come as a major offshore wind event is forecast for much of California’s coastal communities, prompting red flag and fire weather warnings through Thursday.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024
Three oil platforms — the Hondo, Harmony, and Heritage — make up the Santa Ynez Unit, several miles offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Republicans have used transmission as a bargaining chip to secure provisions requiring onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing.
—Daniel Moore, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Advertisement The conditions come as a major offshore wind event is forecast for much of California’s coastal communities, prompting red flag and fire weather warnings through Thursday.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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 21 Nov. 2024.
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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