off-screen

adverb or adjective

variants or offscreen
1
: out of sight of the movie or television viewer
a shot fired off-screen
Before long, Anthony introduces himself to the family pooch, who is whooshed away to an off-screen death.Kris Turnquist
2
: in private life : when not appearing in a movie, on television, etc.
Moyer's off-screen magnetism comes from a down-to-earth friendliness.Kate Hahn
Pfeiffer, 34, remains a mystery woman offscreen.Michael A. Lipton

Examples of off-screen 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.
But the crew’s panic quickly permeates off-screen too. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 July 2025 Nearly 40 years after Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin first tried to avert an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II, his son (Liam Neeson) is heading up the Police Squad, and, according to some critics, might just have the chops to save the world on, and off-screen. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 30 July 2025 Superman hovering over a battlefield littered with superheroes looking up at something shadowing over them from off-screen. Ryan Woodrow, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025 Critical Role Chief Creative Officer and resident Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer, also appears off-screen as the voice of the interrogating guard. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2025 But Angela Kinsey, who played the no-nonsense accountant Angela Martin in the series, knew a thing or two about balancing the books—on- and off-screen. Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 July 2025 However, the fan favorite Manhattanite made an off-screen appearance through a text conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 19 July 2025 But off-screen, de Faría was searching for a super dog of her own. Angel Saunders, People.com, 18 July 2025 That same intentionality shines through in her off-screen rituals. Essence, 18 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-screen was in 1916

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Cite this Entry

“Off-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-screen. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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