come off

verb

came off; come off; coming off; comes off

intransitive verb

1
a
: to acquit oneself : fare
came off well in the contest
b
2
: succeed
a television series that never came offTV Guide
3
4
US, informal
used in phrases like where do you come off? to express anger or annoyance at what someone has said or done
Marie was bent over the table now, reading, her piping girlish voice hot with indignation. "Where does she come off, anyway?"T. Coraghessan Boyle

transitive verb

1
: to have recently completed or recovered from
coming off a good year
2
: to have recently stopped using (an illegal drug)
an addict who is coming off heroin

Examples of come off in a Sentence

couldn't believe that the wedding would actually come off—they've been “just dating” for years the attempted revival of the city's downtown never really came off, and even more stores eventually closed
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.
Oftentimes there could be a player that comes off the bench that’s playing starter’s minutes and a guy who starts who’s playing bench minutes. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025 In an interview with PEOPLE tied to the U.S. release of -196 vodka seltzer, Jonas, 37, spoke about the emotional toll that an international tour can take on musicians, especially coming off of the high of constant action and adrenaline. Emily Rella, People.com, 26 May 2025 Especially if there’s alcohol, the wheels start to come off. Dan Greene, New Yorker, 26 May 2025 Junior attacker Caroline Godine, an Owings Mills resident and McDonogh graduate, notched an assist and then a goal in the first quarter and finished with four points coming off the bench. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for come off

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of come off was in 1590

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Cite this Entry

“Come off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20off. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on come off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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