1
as in wrong
falling short of a standard
the milk tasted off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
the computer is off, so you'll have to turn it on in order to use it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in erroneous
not being in agreement with what is true
that claim that everyone is actually related to everyone else seems a bit off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in small
small in degree
on the off chance that you do get straight A's, you can skip a grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in spicy
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a telltale smirk suggested that there was something off about his parting shot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately
the hit man was rumored to have offed at least three people in the last year alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of off
Gary Langer, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Pack these espadrilles that are 60 percent off and go with everything from leggings for sightseeing to a dress for a night out.
—Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2024
Leah Vann, Chron, 10 Oct. 2024
Chargers Chargers return from off week hoping for better returns on special teams
Oct. 8, 2024
Nix transferred to Oregon after three years at Auburn and played with Herbert’s younger brother Patrick, a tight end.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2024
Emma Roberts’s Tote and Purse are Filled With All Her Summer Essentials–Plus a Sweet Treat
Sometimes, though, horror stars play into lurid sexuality—a nod to offed characters past.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for off 
Adverb
Half say the country's seriously off on the wrong track -- still a lot, but vastly fewer than among Trump supporters.
—Gary Langer, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Pack these espadrilles that are 60 percent off and go with everything from leggings for sightseeing to a dress for a night out.
—Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Texas took hold of the No. 1 ranking after Alabama's loss to Vanderbilt during its off week, while Texas A&M soared to No. 15 after defeating Missouri, 41-10.
—Leah Vann, Chron, 10 Oct. 2024
Chargers Chargers return from off week hoping for better returns on special teams
Oct. 8, 2024
Nix transferred to Oregon after three years at Auburn and played with Herbert’s younger brother Patrick, a tight end.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
Thus, Rugged Man Seann William Scott is in a battle for his life that ends when a kindly older woman (Dolly De Leon) succeeds in offing him and thereby is greeted by Johnny Grand (Murray Hill), the flashy emcee of the lottery who arrives at her doorstep with a check for $22 million.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2024
Emma Roberts’s Tote and Purse are Filled With All Her Summer Essentials–Plus a Sweet Treat
Sometimes, though, horror stars play into lurid sexuality—a nod to offed characters past.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off
Adverb
-
The idea to bomb London is a result of this dissatisfaction: why should the Irish people bear the brunt of the war when the enemy is just a ferry ride away?Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
-
That’s well away from most other deer — and hunters, who are focusing on better-looking ground with better traditional habitat hundreds of yards away.Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
There’s no right or wrong answer here—this comes down to what feels healthiest for you.Dominique Fluker, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
-
While these ETFs can serve as a gauge of what traders are thinking, the stock market has been wrong before in pricing in one election winner over another.Fred Imbert, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The case was dormant until last year, when agents with Wisconsin's Justice Department began working with the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory to identify the remains.Doha Madani, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
-
Most went dormant in August and September, then the rain from the remnants of Hurricane Helene made their way up here.Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Between the lines: Republicans have argued vigorously that the apostrophe placed in the transcript is erroneous and that Biden was actually criticizing individual Trump voters.Andrew Solender, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
-
The billionaire responded to reports that he would not be invited to the U.K.’s investment summit with false claims about the release of prisoners in the country, following a trend of erroneous and inflammatory comments directed at the U.K. in recent months.Chloe Berger, Fortune Europe, 26 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Researchers trained rats to jog on a treadmill To scientifically measure that observation, researchers captured two dozen vampire bats from Belize and trained them to use a small treadmill typically used to measure the metabolic rates of rats.Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
-
His priorities include veterans’ rights, advocating for small businesses, protecting the border and education, according to his campaign website. AD-64 includes a portion of Los Angeles County and La Habra in Orange County.Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The chicken wings could be the best of the bunch, with crisp skin lacquered in a sweet and spicy brown sugar glaze.Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
-
Keep this zesty, herbaceous, and spicy Creole seasoning on hand for all of your favorite Creole dishes.Amanda Holstein, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
In Munich, demobilized soldiers, right-wing paramilitaries, and Communist militants fought in the streets, while leaders of the new Weimar Republic were routinely assassinated.George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
-
The year after Lincoln was assassinated by slavery supporter John Wilkes Booth, strip-mining of coal got started in Lincoln’s home state of Illinois.Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Adverb
-
On cold days, its extra length and 650-fill-power down feel like a warm hug.Abigail Barronian, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
-
The Broncos navigated their final drive beautifully, bled the clock all the way down and didn’t give it back to Mahomes.Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near off
Cite this Entry
“Off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share