off-road

American  

[awf-rohd, of-] / ˈɔfˈroʊd, ˈɒf- /

adjective

1. designed, built, or used for traveling off public roads, especially on unpaved roads, trails, beaches, or rough terrain.

   an off-road vehicle.

2. taking place on such roads or terrain.

   off-road racing.

3. used for or suitable to an off-road vehicle.

   off-road tires.

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adverb

1. on a road or terrain other than a public road.

   to travel off-road.

off-road British  

adjective

1. (of a motor vehicle) designed or built for use away from public roads, esp on rough terrain

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Etymology

Origin of off-road

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The snowmobile and off-road vehicle manufacturer announced recent tariff policy changes won’t have an impact on 2026 guidance.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Under the new laws, off-road motorcycles, such as a scrambler or quadbikes, are banned in all places apart from private land.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

He also investigates stolen tractors and off-road vehicles, burglarized deer camps, and financial crimes, like a $2 million case that involved a man who took out bank loans on cows he didn’t own.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

While driving on a highway in Georgia, Barry Wooten’s F-150 plotted a path for it to drive off-road as he attempted to take an exit ramp, the family said in court documents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

I’d read somewhere that off-road land in parched West Texas sold for as little as a hundred dollars an acre.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls