off-road

American

[awf-rohd, of-] / ˈɔfˈroʊd, ˈɒf- /

adjective

designed, built, or used for traveling off public roads, especially on unpaved roads, trails, beaches, or rough terrain.

an off-road vehicle.
taking place on such roads or terrain.

off-road racing.
used for or suitable to an off-road vehicle.

off-road tires.

adverb

on a road or terrain other than a public road.

to travel off-road.

off-road British

adjective

(of a motor vehicle) designed or built for use away from public roads, esp on rough terrain

"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-road

First recorded in 1960–65

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.

See Examples For:

off-road

This does not include lands subject to significant extractive uses, like logging or mining, or disruptive recreation activities, like OHV off-road driving.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

Cleveland Police has used drones in efforts to tackle off-road bikes, while Metropolitan Police officers have deployed electric bikes to pursue riders through areas difficult to access with patrol cars.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

He and Oxford also attended an off-road motorsports event called “Rednecks With Paychecks.”

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Explore Comporta’s fields, forests and dunes on a private off-road buggy tour with Feel Comporta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

“It is. Got it for off-road races. Do you ride one?”

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

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