offhand

[ awf-hand, of- ]

adverb

1. cavalierly, curtly, or brusquely:

   to reply offhand.

   Synonyms: abruptly, shortly, short

2. without previous thought or preparation; extempore:

   to decide offhand to take a trip.

adjective

1. informal, casual, curt, or brusque:

   an offhand manner.

   Synonyms: extempore, impromptu

2. Also offhanded. done or made offhand.

   Synonyms: extempore, impromptu

   Antonyms: considered

3. Glassmaking. working manually and without the use of molds:

   offhand blowing.

offhand

/ ˌɒfˈhænd /

adjective

1. without care, thought, or consideration; sometimes, brusque or ungracious

   an offhand manner

2. without preparation or warning; impromptu

Derived Forms

• ˌoffˈhandedness, noun
• ˌoffˈhandedly, adverb

Other Words From

• offhanded·ly adverb
• offhanded·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of offhand¹

First recorded in 1685–95; off + hand

Example Sentences

A decade and a half later, the only rule I remember offhand is the one I always broke.

From Outside Online

The 70-year-old humorist, commentator, chronically blocked writer, sometime actor and Manhattan fixture—a master of the short sentence as well as the offhand dismissal—was the subject of his HBO documentary Public Speaking, from 2010.

From Time

I don’t think I really am that noisy, but offhand comments from the future in-laws have made me self-conscious.

From Ozy

Offhand, I can think of two Jacks—Jack of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and Jack the Ripper, who cut quite a figure in his day.

From The Daily Beast

One aide monitoring the speech gave it the kind of offhand tweet it deserves.

From The Daily Beast

Everyone should watch what they say lest their offhand remarks be twisted and damage the company.

From The Daily Beast

The guy who was president when New Orleans drowned—I can't recall his name offhand—froze our government in icy indifference.

From The Daily Beast

C-SPAN Negotiations An offhand promise in a debate ended up coming back to haunt Democrats during the health-care debate.

From The Daily Beast

I didn't much like his offhand way of asking; not that it wasn't a perfectly legitimate query.

From Project Gutenberg

Offhand, I would say that the train passed over his body some several hours after his death.

From Project Gutenberg

But he meets only with an offhand denial, couched in words of scant courtesy.

From Project Gutenberg

It may strike the reader that an offhand statement like the foregoing relates to a proceeding of no special difficulty or peril.

From Project Gutenberg

She could hardly be a woman if she did not; and in her airy, elusive, offhand demeanour she was very much of a woman indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• casual
• curt
• easygoing
• folksy
• glib
• perfunctory