the pants off

idiom

informal
—used for emphasis after words like charm, scare, frighten, bore, and beat
He can charm the pants off anybody.
She scared the pants off us when she phoned at 3 a.m.

Examples of the pants off in a Sentence

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.
For more than 40 years, this Westminster property has been scaring the pants off of Coloradans with its absolutely terrifying scenes and actors. — Sarah Kuta, The Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2024 Opening up the app, checking that day’s probable pitchers for favorable streaming matchups, and settling on the optimal lineup to beat the pants off of your buddy’s team, all in pursuit of that glorious moment of trash talk in the group text thread. — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2024

Rhymes for the pants off

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Browse Nearby Words

the pampas
the pants off
the papacy
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Cite this Entry

“The pants off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20pants%20off. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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