the pants off
idiom
informal
—used for emphasis after words like charm, scare, frighten, bore, and beat
He can charm the pants off anybody.
She scared the pants off us when she phoned at 3 a.m.
Examples of the pants off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For more than 40 years, this Westminster property has been scaring the pants off of Coloradans with its absolutely terrifying scenes and actors.
—
Sarah Kuta, The Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2024
Opening up the app, checking that day’s probable pitchers for favorable streaming matchups, and settling on the optimal lineup to beat the pants off of your buddy’s team, all in pursuit of that glorious moment of trash talk in the group text thread.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2024
You’ve been known to charm the pants off any man, so why not one of these boys?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Jan. 2024
Host Reba McEntire was sure to be both corny and unflappable, Lainey Wilson was a lock to win Entertainer of the Year, and country interloper Post Malone, scruffy and face-tattooed, was going to charm the pants off everyone.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
Trump has been 'beating the pants off of Biden' since Halloween.
—Fox News, 6 Mar. 2024
Curtis' writing is as sharp as ever, and the cast has rarely had a better opportunity to charm the pants off of everyone in sight.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Aug. 2023
Of course, there will be those who bemoan the fact that the new AMG GT has lost its raw edge and doesn’t try to scare the pants off you at every turn, but remember, this is the introductory model—there will surely be hotter versions to come (as in perhaps the S, R, and maybe Pro).
—Peter Bleakney, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2023
This is a team that just swept the pants off the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks’ 4-2 victory Wednesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix finishing a three-games-to-none clinching of their National League Division Series and completing the most brutal of broom bashings.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
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.
Sarah Kuta, The Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2024
Opening up the app, checking that day’s probable pitchers for favorable streaming matchups, and settling on the optimal lineup to beat the pants off of your buddy’s team, all in pursuit of that glorious moment of trash talk in the group text thread.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2024
You’ve been known to charm the pants off any man, so why not one of these boys?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Jan. 2024
Host Reba McEntire was sure to be both corny and unflappable, Lainey Wilson was a lock to win Entertainer of the Year, and country interloper Post Malone, scruffy and face-tattooed, was going to charm the pants off everyone.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
Trump has been 'beating the pants off of Biden' since Halloween.
—Fox News, 6 Mar. 2024
Curtis' writing is as sharp as ever, and the cast has rarely had a better opportunity to charm the pants off of everyone in sight.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Aug. 2023
Of course, there will be those who bemoan the fact that the new AMG GT has lost its raw edge and doesn’t try to scare the pants off you at every turn, but remember, this is the introductory model—there will surely be hotter versions to come (as in perhaps the S, R, and maybe Pro).
—Peter Bleakney, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2023
This is a team that just swept the pants off the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks’ 4-2 victory Wednesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix finishing a three-games-to-none clinching of their National League Division Series and completing the most brutal of broom bashings.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near the pants off
Cite this Entry
“The pants off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20pants%20off. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share