Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for drop-off. Search instead for drop-offs.
Synonyms

drop-off

American  
[drop-awf, -of] / ˈdrɒpˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

  1. a vertical or very steep descent.

    The trail has a drop-off of several hundred feet.

  2. a decline; decrease.

    Sales have shown a considerable drop-off this year.

  3. a place where a person or thing can be left, received, accommodated, etc..

    a new drop-off for outpatients.

adjective

  1. applied when a rented vehicle is left elsewhere than at the point of hire.

    to pay a drop-off charge.
drop off British  

verb

  1. (intr) to grow smaller or less; decline

  2. (tr) to allow to alight; set down

  3. informal (intr) to fall asleep

"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

noun

  1. a steep or vertical descent

  2. a sharp decrease

"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
drop off Idioms  

  1. Fall asleep, as in When I looked at Grandma, she had dropped off . [Early 1800s]

  2. Decrease; also, become less frequent. For example, Sales have dropped off markedly , or Over the year her visits dropped off . [Early 1800s]

  3. Deliver, unload, as in Bill dropped off the package at the office .

  4. Die, as in He is so ill he could drop off any time . [Early 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of drop-off

First recorded in 1955–60; noun, adj. use of verb phrase drop off

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In March, dollar-denominated exports from China grew by a mere 2.5% from a year earlier—a sharp drop-off from the 22% jump witnessed in January and February.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The 2.25-mile electric train system is designed to help reduce airport congestion by connecting terminals, parking lots and passenger pickup and drop-off areas — ferrying riders over the airport’s notorious horseshoe loop.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Looking at earnings estimates, Golub points to the fact that the oil futures market still reflects a drop-off in prices beyond 2026—and much slower earnings growth for energy companies next year.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Union Street, where the fire took place, is a main drop-off point for many city centre passengers.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Lou Ann pulls into the long drop-off line.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.