offhand 1 of 2

offhand

2 of 2

adverb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of offhand
Adjective
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 Thomas didn’t know offhand but circled back to him with the answer: Six. Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 25 Dec. 2020
Adverb
What started as an offhand comment at brunch quickly became a life-changing commitment. Jordan Greene, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025 This kind of offhand remark contributes to a pattern in Republican circles where constitutional constraints are treated as flexible, potentially to gauge public reaction. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for offhand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offhand
Adjective
  • And in no scene is this better displayed when Tinder hits 1 million users and an impromptu celebration sets the office sprinklers off.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The breaking point came this summer when staff staged an impromptu strike, citing untenable working conditions.
    Lindsey Tramuta, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Thou shalt pose for the cover, ideally smiling and having a casually joyous time.
    Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Create Short, Snappy Messages Short, snappy messaging is great while people are in the mindset to casually scroll on social media.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • After Rogen gave a short and seemingly improvised speech, Bargatze returned for a brief monologue.
    Rosa Escandon, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The improvised nature of the production was born in part out of practical necessity.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With a tight runtime and 10 freewheeling new songs, the band embraces the energy of its beloved live show throughout the new project, as the members jam out in the studio while riffing off of one another to make a collaborative, occasionally improvisational project.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
  • At All Blues, Martin’s Side A — a raw, improvisational session — played between pours.
    Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The June court decision confirming that the tax treatment on breakup fees will not be arbitrarily changed provides this stability with respect to the tax code.
    Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Guterres noted that others working for the UN, as well as people working with NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions, have been arbitrarily detained in Yemen since 2021.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • Wallets, coins, and rings are carelessly passed around this little society, and messages are corrupted—from Orsino’s wooing of Olivia, which is accidentally undone by his own go-between, Viola, to the letters that deceive Malvolio.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
  • But also just a touch ironic — like a man handing out fire safety pamphlets while carelessly flipping burgers over a bonfire on his porch.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • Other educators who spoke to the Herald describe parents cutting back on extracurricular activities, avoiding school pick-up and drop-off lines, and even keeping children home to study informally.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
  • When actually on the way to the stadium itself, players dressed informally, sometimes just in team sweats.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Large groups were indiscriminately huddled together and riddled with machine gun fire.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Aug. 2025
  • In times of uncertainty, there can be a knee-jerk reaction to either resist any cuts or to cut indiscriminately.
    Leila Saad, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offhand. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on offhand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!