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.
While collaborating on building her character with DeBlois and the rest of the cast and crew, Parker revealed that Astrid’s bravery inspired her off-screen. Leia Mendoza, Variety, 13 June 2025 But while Dorothy went on a fantastical adventure, the actress and singer's journey off-screen was plagued by depression and drug abuse. Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 June 2025 Her co-star was John Gilbert, with whom Garbo had an off-screen dalliance. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025 The clip shows an extremely pregnant Meghan standing in a hospital room, while someone off-screen presses play. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 4 June 2025 The summer heat arrived early on Peacock's Love Island USA Season 7 premiere, which aired on Tuesday with a 40-minute delay, high-stakes drama, and an off-screen scandal that has fans calling for a contestant's removal. Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025 Look to the left, and a once off-screen helicopter is suddenly entirely visible. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 Even off-screen, Wendt leaned into his persona from the beloved show. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025 In addition to her off-screen role in the NBC show, Birkett appeared in several other movies and shows, including 1985's St. Elmo's Fire, 2001's Heartbreakers and 2005's The Life Coach, per IMDb. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 20 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off-screen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-screen. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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