off of

preposition

: off
Usage of Off of

The of is often criticized as superfluous, but off of is an idiom, and idioms follow their own logic. Use of off of is much more common in speech than in edited writing and is more common in American English than in British English.

Examples of off of 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.
The source material provides Memoirs with an in-baked, flowery-yet-mannered visual language, and set designer Scott Pask has built off of it to transform the space of the musical, performed in the round, into an enfolding, velveteen club. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 Mitchell had two home runs against lefties in years worth of major league hitting, then proceeded to hit two homers off of Blake Snell and Tanner Scott in back-to-back nights. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 As Grace and Todd approach the president’s limo, a small spark can be seen glancing off of the front of the car. — Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 To save her hobby and help other bakers, she and friend, cofounder, and fellow sourdough enthusiast Alexis Dalinka set out to solve the sticky problem of cleaning dough and sourdough starter off of surfaces and tools. — Nina Elder, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off of

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off of was in 1567

Rhymes for off of

See All Rhymes for off of

Browse Nearby Words

off-odor
off of
off-off-Broadway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20of. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

off of

preposition
: off entry 2
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