off-peak

American

[awf-peek, of-] / ˈɔfˈpik, ˈɒf- /

adjective

of, relating to, or during a period of less than maximum frequency, demand, intensity, or use.

the off-peak travel season; off-peak train fares.
lower than the maximum.

off-peak production.

off-peak British

adjective

of or relating to services as used outside periods of intensive use or electricity supplied at cheaper rates during the night

"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-peak

First recorded in 1915–20

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.

Capacity cuts will come from off-peak travel periods, management said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

What’s Next: Deutsche Bank research analysts wrote that if fuel prices remain elevated for the next several months, airlines will begin cutting off-peak flights and grounding less fuel-efficient aircraft.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Energy firms with AI power agreements could benefit from bitcoin mining during off-peak demand.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

The contactless rollout has also led to the cheapest super off-peak tickets being removed from some stations.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

For systems that wait to off-peak hours to send responses you may have to wait a day.

From Email 101 by Goodwin, John

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023