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to strip off

to strip off

9 3.7
To remove clothes or a cover completely and quickly
  • phrasal verb
  • /strɪp ɔf/
  • NSFW
translation icon : desnudarse
  • Steam rose enticingly; she sprinkled bath salts with a lavish hand and stripped off her clothes.
  • stripped off her clothes
  • stripped off his shirt
  • stripped off our clothing

Listen, whoever cuts pizza or does this thing, they take their pizza and just hold it up and let the grease strip off.

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Examples

  • The woman just smiles and starts to strip off what clothing she has on.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "Sky looks like it's clearing," he said determinedly as he stripped off his sopping cloak.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Already you think that I am just gonna strip off my clothes...

  • Okay, let's go ahead and strip off that belt too, while we're at it, huh?

  • When I turn around, I notice that she too has stripped off her outer clothing.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Don't quickly, you know, strip off your clothes, allow yourself to start to experience the heat that your body creates.

  • As he finishes a particularly strenuous series, he strips off his clothes and dives into the lake.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Jeff had toed off his trainers and was stripping off his T-shirt.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Cora turns her back, strips off her white blouse, and puts on the faster-drying chamois.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Before jumping into the pool, she decided to strip off her t-shirt and shorts.

Synonyms

to take off
vsto strip off
1.5

To remove clothes or something from your body

narrows to fast, whole removal often done in one action
to undress
vsto strip off
  • NSFW
88 2.0

To take off clothes from yourself or another person

adds a sense of quick, complete removal often in one motion
to rip out
vsto strip off
68 4.4

To pull something out quickly and with force, often to remove it completely

differs by implying intact, quick removal rather than violent force
to strip
vsto strip off
  • NSFW
63 3.4

Take off most or all clothes

focuses on complete removal often done quickly and in one piece
to pull off
vsto strip off
41 2.7

To take something off from where it is attached

focuses more on whole removal rather than the pulling method
to peel
vsto strip off
  • NSFW
39 7.7

Take off some or all clothes in a noticeable way

is similar but emphasizes complete, often rapid removal intact
to strip away
vsto strip off
27 4.0

Remove an outside layer or covering from something to show what is under it

is the opposite, indicating rapid and complete removal in one action
to tear out
vsto strip off
24 4.8

To pull something out with force

is more literal and physical, focusing on quick intact removal
to disrobe
vsto strip off
12 6.3

To take off your clothes

is more about fast, complete removal, sometimes in one piece
to tear off
vsto strip off
12 3.0

To pull something off quickly until it rips

is less violent and suggests intact, quick removal instead
to strip down
vsto strip off
  • NSFW
12 5.1

To take off most or all of your clothes

is similar but stresses speed and intact removal in one piece
to slip off
vsto strip off
11 2.8

To take off quickly and easily, especially clothes or small items

matches speed but also implies fully taking off in one piece
to peel back
vsto strip off
11 3.4

Remove a cover or layer by pulling it away slowly

is faster and usually removes the covering completely in one go
to peel off
vsto strip off
8 3.4

To take off the outer layer by pulling it

is about taking off whole coverings quickly rather than layer by layer
to tear away
vsto strip off
6 4.5

To pull something off quickly with force

contrasts as a quicker, cleaner whole removal without ripping
to unpeel
vsto strip off
1 3.4

To remove the outer covering from things like fruit or labels

applies to coverings too but stresses quick, whole removal of cover
to unclothe
vsto strip off
  • NSFW
7.4

To remove clothes from a person or a cover from an object

is more about fast, intact removal in one motion
to sling off
vsto strip off
  • Informal
8.6

To take off or get rid of something quickly and without care

differs by suggesting deliberate quick removal intact rather than careless discard
to undrape
vsto strip off
8.6

To take cloth coverings off something to show it

is broader and often faster, applying to any covering removed whole

Antonyms

679 1.0

To dress yourself in clothes or wear things like makeup

How Complete

to strip off
  • NSFW
9 3.7
to disrobe
12 6.3
to take off
1.5
to pull off
41 2.7
to loosen
88 1.0

Surface Forms

strip off infinitive
stripped off past participle
stripping off present participle
strips off third person singular

Morphology

strip + off

The meaning 'to remove something completely' is directly predictable from combining 'strip' (to remove clothes or coverings) with the particle 'off' (indicating removal/separation). This verb+particle composition is a common, compositional pattern in English (and parallels exist in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb strip off paints a clear image: you strip something away and pull it off, as when you pull a shirt over your head or peel old paint in long pieces. So, it means 'to remove something completely', especially clothing or a covering.