offhand

Examples

• All

• Are there any books that come to mind offhand that you would or might recommend?

• Not offhand, but I'll get back to you.

  Surviving Christmas (2004)

• Someone can make an offhand comment that indicates what he or she believes.

  Blog text (9)

• I think some people ask these questions inadvertently, even as offhand small talk before or after the interview.

  Blog text (27)

• I can't tell you just offhand.

  The Thin Man (1934)

• I can't think offhand of any politicians who are really great with managing money.

  Blog text (2)

• You know, Matt, that was just an offhand remark of mine about his having worked at Cunningham's.

  Fiction book (1994)

• The question on 5025, I don't have an answer offhand.

  Academic text (2000)

• Well, Mr. Fleck, offhand, I'd say the only reason he'd disobey an order is if he didn't agree with it.

  RoboCop 3 (1993)

• I can't think of any solutions offhand, but I will research the issue later.

Synonyms

I

impromptu

vsoffhand

37 6.3

Done or said without preparation

leans more on unpreparedness and less on considered judgment

A

ad lib

vsoffhand

21 7.7

Says or does something without planning

is broader and highlights thoughtless or careless immediate response

O

off the cuff

vsoffhand

• Informal

19 6.3

Said or done without planning first

is the general spontaneous term stressing a casual lack of care

U

unrehearsed

vsoffhand

6 5.3

Not planned or practiced before

emphasizes lack of planning but not necessarily lack of careful thought

U

unpremeditated

vsoffhand

2 7.5

Happening without being planned or thought about first

matches spontaneity but the key focuses more on casual carelessness

E

extemporaneously

vsoffhand

2 9.9

Said or done without planning beforehand

focuses on lack of careful thought rather than only spontaneity

O

offhandedly

vsoffhand

2 7.0

Speak or act without careful thought

is the broader adjective or adverb term rather than only the adverb form

U

unadvisedly

vsoffhand

2 8.4

To do something without thinking carefully first

shares lack of careful thought but sounds more neutral and casual

E

extempore

vsoffhand

1 9.3

In a way that is said or done without preparation

is similar but carries stronger sense of thoughtlessness

U

unreflectively

vsoffhand

1 7.0

In a way that shows little careful thought before acting

is similar but may be less about immediacy and more about habit

Antonyms

D

deliberately

270 3.7

To do something on purpose and with care

T

thoughtfully

33 3.7

In a careful way that shows you pay attention before deciding

How Unprepared

unprepared

68 2.8

careless

66 1.0

offhand

12 6.3

casual

173 2.8

prepared

∞ 1.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology