as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation an offhand comment that later caused the politician much embarrassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in casually
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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
Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026 Punt e Mes 3 dashes Angostura Bitters This certainly isn’t the most popular of Manhattan variations, despite being one of the few scotch cocktails people can name offhand. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
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 See All Example Sentences for offhand
Adjective
That offhand remark set everything in motion, from the designs to the dance floor. —Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026 Punt e Mes 3 dashes Angostura Bitters This certainly isn’t the most popular of Manhattan variations, despite being one of the few scotch cocktails people can name offhand. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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 See All Example Sentences for offhand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offhand
Adjective
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In North Hollywood, a group of neighbors has banded together, turning their daily dog walking into impromptu neighborhood watches.— Austin Turner, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
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Originally, the family intended to launch the second one in Palm Beach, Florida, but when a real estate deal fell through, Bataller Parietti and his eldest son went on an impromptu father-son trip to Mexico, which ultimately led them to the land on which SHA Mexico now sits.— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Timothée Chalamet heads to the beach in Miami in a casually stylish look of a Nahmias cap, Supreme x Wu-Tang Clan RZA T-shirt and cargo shorts on April 17.— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
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The need to constantly fact check statements by those who casually share stories in public forums, not to mention politicians and corporations, will not be lost on contemporary theater audiences.— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And the group’s most recent album, 2025’s Live in Amsterdam, showcases the kind of spontaneous improvised moments, including Peters’ bass solos, that set GoldFish apart from many dance acts with more strictly electronic sounds.— Al Shipley, SPIN, 8 Apr. 2026
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In Russia and Ukraine, soldiers have learned to protect their tanks from drone strikes using improvised nets and boxes, which cover the vehicles like a turtle shell.— Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Sometimes, Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock will offhandedly give you career advice.— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025
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The tragedy side of things is addressed rather offhandedly — occasionally the movie will remember the boggling grief and betrayal at its center, only to shrug it off again just as quickly.— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Percussionist and sound artist Colin Blanton mints a new alias for a suite of improvisational industrial jams where distortion is baked in at the atomic level.— Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
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Some of the musical experimentation feels like pure young, especially Parker’s use of falsetto, the contemporary-retro sound of a Hammond organ and young’s own improvisational sense.— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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These types of homes should not be arbitrarily restricted from the state’s residential areas.— Eliza Terziev, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
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The plaintiffs at the center of this case are not being targeted arbitrarily.— Mikayla Price, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Treat the produce section carelessly.— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
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Residents were treated carelessly, disrespectfully, insensitively.— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The public signing of the Executive Order 26-3 comes in the final three weeks of a legislative session that has yet to resolve how much of the $500 million informally earmarked for addressing affordability issues will go to aid for municipalities facing sharply higher education costs.— Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
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Initially, the parties try to resolve the matter informally.— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/offhand. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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