If you have ever had a flight take off, a plan that paid off, or a meeting that got called off, you already know some of the most useful phrasal verbs in English.
Phrasal verbs with OFF show up every day in conversations, at work, and in the news. This guide covers the most important phrasal verbs with OFF, with clear definitions, real example sentences, and a quick reference table so you find what you need fast.
What Is a Phrasal Verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or more particles. A particle is usually a preposition or adverb. Together, the verb and particle create a new meaning that is often very different from the original verb alone.
For example:
- The word set means to place something somewhere.
- But set off means to start a journey, or to trigger something like an alarm.
Learning how particles change a verb’s meaning helps you understand and remember phrasal verbs much faster. If you are new to phrasal verbs, this guide on phrasal verbs made easy is a good place to start.
What Does “Off” Mean in Phrasal Verbs?
Before you look at each verb, it helps to understand the ideas that off often brings to a phrase.
Off often suggests:
- Departure or separation: take off, go off, set off
- Cancellation: call off, put off, knock off
- Completion: finish off, pay off, round off
- Distance or removal: back off, cut off, lay off
- A trigger or start: set off, kick off
Once you see these patterns, new phrasal verbs become much easier to work out.
Quick Reference Table
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Back off | To move away; to stop pressuring someone |
| Call off | To cancel something |
| Come off | To succeed; to fall or become detached |
| Cut off | To stop suddenly; to separate or isolate |
| Drop off | To deliver someone or something; to fall asleep |
| Fall off | To decrease; to drop from a surface |
| Finish off | To complete something; to consume the last of something |
| Get off | To leave a vehicle; to avoid punishment |
| Give off | To produce or release something |
| Go off | To explode; to make a loud sound; to go bad |
| Hold off | To delay; to keep something at a distance |
| Kick off | To start something; to begin a game or event |
| Knock off | To stop working; to reduce a price |
| Lay off | To end someone’s employment; to stop doing something |
| Let off | To allow someone to avoid punishment; to fire a weapon |
| Lift off | To leave the ground (aircraft or rocket) |
| Log off | To exit a computer system or app |
| Pay off | To be successful; to finish paying a debt |
| Pull off | To succeed at something difficult |
| Put off | To delay; to cause someone to lose interest |
| Round off | To complete something in a satisfying way |
| Run off | To leave quickly; to print copies |
| Set off | To start a journey; to trigger something |
| Show off | To display skills or possessions to impress others |
| Sign off | To formally end communication or approve something |
| Switch off | To turn off a device; to stop paying attention |
| Take off | To leave the ground; to remove; to become successful |
| Tell off | To speak angrily to someone about their behavior |
| Turn off | To stop a device; to cause someone to lose interest |
| Write off | To cancel a debt; to consider something a total loss |
Essential Phrasal Verbs with Off
Back Off
Meaning: To move away from someone or something. To stop pressuring or threatening someone.
Examples:
- Back off. You are standing too close.
- The other driver backed off when he saw the police car.
- She told him to back off and give her some space.
Call Off
Meaning: To cancel something that was planned.
Examples:
- They called off the outdoor concert because of rain.
- The meeting has been called off. We will reschedule.
- She called off the wedding two weeks before the date.
Come Off
Meaning: To succeed or happen as planned. To become detached from a surface.
Examples:
- The presentation came off well.
- The handle came off when I tried to open the door.
- Did the deal come off in the end?
Cut Off
Meaning: To stop something suddenly. To separate someone from others. To interrupt someone speaking.
Examples:
- The storm cut off power to the whole neighborhood.
- The village was cut off by floodwater for three days.
- He cut me off just as I was about to explain.
Drop Off
Meaning: To deliver someone or something to a place. To fall asleep without meaning to.
Examples:
- Can you drop off the kids at school this morning?
- He dropped off during the movie.
- I will drop off your package on my way to work.
Fall Off
Meaning: To drop from a surface. To decrease in amount or quality.
Examples:
- She fell off her bike and hurt her knee.
- Sales have fallen off sharply this quarter.
- The paint is falling off the walls in the old building.
Finish Off
Meaning: To complete the last part of something. To eat or drink the last of something.
Examples:
- Let me finish off this report and then we talk.
- The kids finished off the pizza in under ten minutes.
- She finished off the project just before the deadline.
Get Off
Meaning: To leave a vehicle or mode of transport. To avoid punishment or consequences.
Examples:
- We need to get off at the next stop.
- He got off with just a warning from the judge.
- What time do you get off work today?
Give Off
Meaning: To produce or release heat, light, a smell, or a signal.
Examples:
- The candle gives off a strong scent of vanilla.
- The engine was giving off a lot of smoke.
- Some plants give off oxygen at night.
Go Off
Meaning: To explode or make a sudden loud noise. For food to go bad. For an alarm to sound.
Examples:
- A bomb went off in the city center last night.
- This milk has gone off. Do not drink it.
- My alarm went off at 6 am but I ignored it.
Hold Off
Meaning: To delay doing something. To keep something or someone at a distance.
Examples:
- Can we hold off the decision until next week?
- The team held off the competition until the final quarter.
- Hold off on sending that email. I need to check the figures.
Kick Off
Meaning: To start something, such as a meeting, event, or game.
Examples:
- The conference kicks off at 9 am on Monday.
- The game kicked off in front of a full stadium.
- Let us kick off the meeting with a quick update from each team.
Phrasal verbs with OFF come up often in business settings. If you work in an office, this guide on business phrasal verbs covers the ones you need most.
Knock Off
Meaning: To stop working for the day. To reduce a price. To produce something quickly.
Examples:
- We usually knock off at 5 pm on Fridays.
- The seller knocked off 20 dollars when I asked.
- He knocked off three articles in one afternoon.
Lay Off
Meaning: To end someone’s employment because of a business decision. To stop doing something annoying.
Examples:
- The company laid off 200 workers last month.
- Lay off the sugar. Your doctor said to cut back.
- He was laid off after the factory closed.
Let Off
Meaning: To allow someone to avoid punishment. To fire a weapon or set off an explosion.
Examples:
- The teacher let him off with a warning.
- They let off fireworks at midnight.
- She was let off because it was her first offense.
Lift Off
Meaning: To leave the ground. Used for aircraft, rockets, and drones.
Examples:
- The rocket lifted off at exactly 7:30 am.
- The helicopter lifted off from the rooftop.
- The drone lifted off smoothly in the calm air.
Log Off
Meaning: To exit a computer system, app, or website.
Examples:
- Always log off when you finish using a shared computer.
- She logged off the system at the end of her shift.
- Do not forget to log off before you leave the office.
Pay Off
Meaning: To be worth the effort and produce a good result. To finish paying a debt completely.
Examples:
- All that hard work finally paid off.
- She paid off her student loan after ten years.
- The investment paid off in the end.
Building your English vocabulary takes time, but it pays off. For practical tips on growing your word bank, read this guide on ways to learn new English words.
Pull Off
Meaning: To succeed at something difficult or unexpected.
Examples:
- I did not think they could do it, but they pulled it off.
- She pulled off a perfect performance under pressure.
- The team pulled off an amazing comeback in the final minutes.
Put Off
Meaning: To delay or postpone something. To cause someone to lose interest or enthusiasm.
Examples:
- Stop putting off the things you need to do.
- The bad smell put me off my food.
- The meeting has been put off until next Thursday.
Round Off
Meaning: To complete something in a satisfying or neat way.
Examples:
- We rounded off the evening with dessert and coffee.
- She rounded off her speech with a funny story.
- A short quiz rounded off the training session nicely.
Run Off
Meaning: To leave a place quickly. To print copies of something.
Examples:
- The thief ran off before anyone could stop him.
- Can you run off 20 copies of this document?
- The dog ran off as soon as the gate was opened.
Set Off
Meaning: To start a journey. To trigger an alarm or reaction. To cause something to explode.
Examples:
- We set off early to avoid the traffic.
- The smoke set off the fire alarm.
- His comment set off a heated argument.
Show Off
Meaning: To display your skills or possessions in a way meant to impress others.
Examples:
- He was always showing off in front of his classmates.
- She bought the car to show off, not because she needed it.
- Stop showing off and get the job done.
Sign Off
Meaning: To formally end a communication. To give official approval to something.
Examples:
- The manager needs to sign off on the budget before we proceed.
- He signed off his email with a friendly message.
- The doctor signed off on her return to work.
Switch Off
Meaning: To turn off a device or light. To stop paying attention or mentally disengage.
Examples:
- Switch off all devices before the exam begins.
- It is hard to switch off after a stressful day at work.
- He switched off halfway through the lecture.
Take Off
Meaning: To leave the ground. To remove something. To become suddenly successful.
Examples:
- The plane took off two hours late.
- Take off your shoes at the door, please.
- Her business took off after she started posting on social media.
Tell Off
Meaning: To speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong.
Examples:
- The teacher told him off for talking during the test.
- She told off her neighbor for parking in her spot.
- He got told off by his boss for missing the deadline.
Turn Off
Meaning: To stop a device, light, or appliance. To cause someone to lose interest or attraction.
Examples:
- Please turn off the lights when you leave.
- The constant negativity turns me off.
- Did you turn off the stove before you left?
Write Off
Meaning: To cancel a debt officially. To accept that something is a total loss. To dismiss something as unimportant.
Examples:
- The bank agreed to write off part of the loan.
- The car was completely written off in the accident.
- Do not write off the younger players. They surprised everyone last season.
Phrasal Verbs with Off in Real Conversations
Seeing these verbs in short dialogues shows you how natural they sound every day.
At work:
“The meeting has been called off. The manager needs to sign off on the report first. Let us kick off again first thing Monday morning.”
At home:
“Can you drop off the kids on your way out? I need to finish off this work. I will switch off my laptop once I am done.”
Talking about plans:
“We set off at 7 am to beat the traffic. The trip paid off. I am glad we did not put it off any longer.”
Tips for Remembering Phrasal Verbs with Off
- Group them by meaning. Learn call off, put off, and hold off together. They all involve delay or cancellation.
- Write your own sentences. Do not just read the definition. Use the verb in a sentence from your own life.
- Listen for them. Podcasts, TV shows, and movies use these verbs often. When you hear one, stop and note it down.
- Use one new verb each day. Pick one phrasal verb each morning and use it before the day ends.
- Test yourself. Regular review helps you remember.
Grouping phrasal verbs by theme is one of the fastest ways to learn them. This guide on phrasal verb categories shows you how to do it step by step.
Understanding which phrasal verbs are separable also helps you use them correctly. For example, you say turn it off, not turn off it. This guide on separable and inseparable phrasal verbs covers all the rules clearly.
Keep Learning
Phrasal verbs with OFF are everywhere in natural English. From taking off on a trip to watching hard work pay off, these verbs help you sound fluent and natural.
Start with the verbs in the summary table above. Pick five that feel useful to you and write your own sentences. Come back to this page as your vocabulary grows.
Ready for more? Read the guide on phrasal verbs with UP or explore phrasal verbs with TURN next.
