offhand

1 of 2

adverb

off·​hand ˈȯf-ˈhand How to pronounce offhand (audio)
-ˌhand
: without premeditation or preparation : extempore
couldn't give the figures offhand

offhand

2 of 2

adjective

1
: casual, informal
a relaxed, offhand manner
2
: done or made offhand
offhand excuses

Examples of offhand in a Sentence

Adverb I couldn't give them the figures offhand. Do you happen to know, offhand, when he'll be back? Adjective It was just an offhand remark. She spoke in an offhand manner.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Mara, Lisa and Astrid say bizarre and unsettling things, their cruelty and spite sometimes offhand, sometimes calculated. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2022 The Trolley Problem entails having to make difficult choices, contextually herein in the nature of driving decisions, and is often offhand dismissed by some as a misleading folly in the self-driving realm. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2021 Totally offhand, but Jacob Latimore is 24, Corey Hawkins is 32 and Shameik Moore is 25. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2021 Thomas didn’t know offhand but circled back to him with the answer: Six. Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 25 Dec. 2020 Many hunters used to regularly shoot offhand, including the great Jack O’Connor. Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2020 These folks often contend that more traditional skills like shooting offhand or hitting running game are being forgotten. Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2020 His willingness to eat what the locals eat, not dismiss it offhand as weird or scary but to shine a light on it, opened a window for his viewers to the food of Thailand that will be felt for a long time. Anna Spoerre, OregonLive.com, 12 June 2018
Adjective
They can be arrested for making offhand anti-Kremlin remarks or for their social media posts. USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 With an offhand deftness, Ceylan lays bare the sort of master operator who hides in plain sight, skilled at ensnaring unwitting victims. Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 The collection was a perfect blend of menswear tweeds, shirtings, and William Morris prints for an uber-chic offhand attitude. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 Cue the series of LeBron James cryptic tweet emojis and self-serving, passive-aggressive offhand comments to the press beginning in 3 … 2 … 1 … Richard Turnage Burbank Statue of limitations Kobe Bryant was ours. Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024 Whether an offhand comment in a Fortune interview contributed to her departure or not, one thing’s for sure: Women shouldn’t be penalized for having ambition—or being open about it. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2023 Well, there’s something more tragic and offhand about it just being a hand job. Vulture, 8 Dec. 2023 Evangelista’s title comes from a vigilante, whose offhand comment to her exemplified the bloodiness of the Duterte Presidency and its extralegal drug wars. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023 There was something ineffable—not quite a je ne sais quoi, more like non so che cosa—about the offhand elegance of the place. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offhand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1680, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of offhand was circa 1668

Dictionary Entries Near offhand

Cite this Entry

“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offhand. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

offhand

adverb or adjective
off·​hand
ˈȯf-ˈhand
: without previous thought or preparation
can't say offhand how many there are

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