offshore

American  

[awf-shawr, -shohr, of-] / ˈɔfˈʃɔr, -ˈʃoʊr, ˈɒf- /

adverb

1. off or away from the shore;

   They pushed the boat offshore.

2. at a distance from the shore, on a body of water.

   looking for oil offshore.

3. in a foreign country.

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adjective

1. moving or tending away from the shore toward or into a body of water.

   an offshore wind.

2. located or operating on a body of water, at some distance from the shore.

   offshore fisheries.

3. registered, located, conducted, or operated in a foreign country.

   an offshore investment company; offshore manufacture of car parts.

verb (used with or without object)

1. (of a company or organization) to move jobs or business activities from the home territory to a foreign country: At this time, the manufacturing division has no plans to offshore.

   When our IT services were offshored to Malaysia, I lost my job.

   At this time, the manufacturing division has no plans to offshore.

offshore British  

/ ˌɒfˈʃɔː /

adjective

1. from, away from, or at some distance from the shore

2. overseas; abroad

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adjective

1. sited or conducted at sea as opposed to on land

   offshore industries

2. based or operating abroad in places where the tax system is more advantageous than that of the home country

   offshore banking

   offshore fund

offshore Scientific  

/ ôf′shôr′ /

1. The relatively flat, irregularly shaped zone that extends outward from the breaker zone to the edge of the continental shelf. The water depth in this area is usually at least 10 m (33 ft). The offshore is continually submerged.

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Other Word Forms

• offshoring
  noun

Etymology

Origin of offshore

First recorded in 1710–20; off + shore ¹

Explanation

Anything offshore happens out at sea — and when you're talking about the wind, offshore means it's blowing toward the water. During your Caribbean vacation, you might paddle out to an offshore sandbar, a raised area away from the beach. You could also put on fins and a snorkel and check out some offshore coral reefs. Offshore breezes bring cooler air to the coast, and offshore drilling is a method of seeking out underwater oil and gas. If someone has an "offshore bank account," it means they keep their money in a foreign country — probably to avoid paying taxes on it.

Example Sentences

“Recent incidents, including a Pirate Action Group approach approximately 500 nautical miles east of Somalia indicate sustained offshore capability.”

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

That was largely symbolic as the issuing of licences is a matter reserved to Westminster, along with offshore health and safety regulations and North Sea taxation.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Iran has been using empty tankers to store excess oil offshore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Both companies have “decided not to pursue any new offshore wind developments in the United States,” the Interior Department said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

Just offshore the impact pushes the plate on the bottom of the Pacific down and under the advancing coast, creating a trench almost five miles deep.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann