offhand
cavalierly, curtly, or brusquely: to reply offhand.
without previous thought or preparation; extempore: to decide offhand to take a trip.
informal, casual, curt, or brusque: an offhand manner.
Also offhanded. done or made offhand.
Glassmaking. working manually and without the use of molds: offhand blowing.
Origin of offhand
1Other words for offhand
Opposites for offhand
Other words from offhand
- off·hand·ed·ly, adverb
- off·hand·ed·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use offhand in a sentence
I thought it was kind of an offhand comment, but when I expressed to her that it was a stupid thing to say, she doubled down, saying I need to be a size 10, or even better a size 8 — which I've never been in my life — for my wedding.
Carolyn Hax: Bride’s mom has a ‘toxic’ attitude about her daughter’s weight | Carolyn Hax | November 5, 2020 | Washington PostShe said it casually, offhandedly, and I think it was supposed to be a kind of wink-wink joke.
Geraldine Ferraro Dies: Memories of Her 1984 Campaign | Lynn Sherr | March 26, 2011 | THE DAILY BEASTLeaving Tony free to admit somewhat offhandedly that he has become a "textbook narcissist"?
He asked me a question back, quite offhandedly, and for the time being let the matter rest there.
The Prairie Wife | Arthur StringerThe conductor answered even more offhandedly: "About two hours late—and losin'."
Excuse Me! | Rupert Hughes
But it's an upsetting conclusion to ask a man of my generation offhandedly to accept.
The Best Short Stories of 1919 | Various"Lots of ladies burn them in their boudoirs nowadays," explained Winter offhandedly.
Number Seventeen | Louis TracyJapan's ideal cannot be offhandedly condemned as immoral, pernicious, or illegitimate.
The Inside Story Of The Peace Conference | Emile Joseph Dillon
British Dictionary definitions for offhand
/ (ˌɒfˈhænd) /
without care, thought, or consideration; sometimes, brusque or ungracious: an offhand manner
without preparation or warning; impromptu
Derived forms of offhand
- offhandedly, adverb
- offhandedness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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