off the pace
idiom
US
: behind in a race, competition, etc.
The winner finished in 4 minutes, 30 seconds, and the next runner was three seconds off the pace.
Examples of off the pace in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Cochran-Siegle, the top American hope who won silver in the super-G at the 2022 Olympics, finished 18th, more than two seconds off the pace.
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Aimee Lewis, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Seven players were tied for sixth, eight strokes off the pace.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Hennessy was running in the lead pack until about halfway through the race, but then fell slightly off the pace.
—Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 14 Dec. 2025
Tsunoda's Red Bull frustrations have left the Japanese driver far off the pace of teammate Max Verstappen, though the team will only have so much patience with him.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off the pace
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Aimee Lewis, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Seven players were tied for sixth, eight strokes off the pace.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Hennessy was running in the lead pack until about halfway through the race, but then fell slightly off the pace.
—Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 14 Dec. 2025
Tsunoda's Red Bull frustrations have left the Japanese driver far off the pace of teammate Max Verstappen, though the team will only have so much patience with him.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off the pace
Cite this Entry
“Off the pace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20pace. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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