off-message

[ awf-mes-ij, of‐ ]

adjective

1. straying from or contradicting the central theme or official message of a political, business, or other organization:

   The last speaker was way off-message with his bad jokes and irrelevant anecdotes.

off message

adjective

1. off-message when prenominal not adhering to or reflecting the official line of a political party, government, or other organization

Word History and Origins

Origin of off-message¹

An Americanism dating back to 1990–95; off ( def ) + message ( def )

Example Sentences

That students aren’t allowed to ever be off-message and self-aggrandizing?

From Slate

Then he quickly went off-message, touting a cognitive test he took as president, his administration’s campaign against the Islamic State group and other familiar themes.

From Seattle Times

You're talking to the off-message daughter.

From Salon

What, then, should we make of a remarkable dressing down he was subjected to when he went off-message during the security council meeting?

From BBC

"It's dramatically off-message for where Republicans are going on taxes — they shouldn't be talking about raising taxes on anybody," Brian Riedl, a former aide to Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and a senior fellow at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute told the Post.

From Salon