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Synonyms

off-ramp

American  
[awf-ramp, of-] / ˈɔfˌræmp, ˈɒf- /
Or offramp

noun

  1. an exit lane for traffic from a turnpike or freeway to a street.

off-ramp British  

noun

  1. a short steep one-way road by which traffic can leave a motorway or highway

"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

Etymology

Origin of off-ramp

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

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.

He clearly realized, as the countdown clock clicked on, that he had overstepped and was eager, even desperate, for an off-ramp.

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday on optimism around a potential cease-fire and an off-ramp to the war.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

The shoot downs and the high-risk mission required to recover both crew members signal a more dangerous phase of the conflict, with direct confrontations increasing and no clear off-ramp in sight.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Investor sentiment has been boosted by a WSJ report that President Trump was considering an off-ramp to the U.S. participation in the conflict with Iran, DBS Group Research’s Philip Wee says in a report.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Besides the lone bulb dangling from a pole at the end of the off-ramp, there weren’t any lights at all.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

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.