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• off-message
  off-message

  adjective

  straying from or contradicting the central theme or official message of a political, business, or other organization.
• off message
  off message

  adjective

  (off-message when prenominal) not adhering to or reflecting the official line of a political party, government, or other organization

off-message

American  

[awf-mes-ij, of‐] / ˈɔfˈmɛs ɪdʒ, ˈɒf‐ /

adjective

1. straying from or contradicting the central theme or official message of a political, business, or other organization.

   The last speaker was way off-message with his bad jokes and irrelevant anecdotes.

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off message British  

adjective

1. (off-message when prenominal) not adhering to or reflecting the official line of a political party, government, or other organization

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Etymology

Origin of off-message

An Americanism dating back to 1990–95; off ( def. ) + message ( def. )

Example Sentences

But users online reported Olive has in recent weeks gone slightly off-message while on the phone.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

That students aren’t allowed to ever be off-message and self-aggrandizing?

From Slate • May 2, 2024

She is not a political obsessive — which can lead, occasionally, to off-message moments.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2020

Oh no, it was the president’s new message man, back when he was off-message.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2017

What they love even more is sharing quotes where their opponents have put their feet in their mouths or gone off-message.

From BBC • May 21, 2017