offside
Americanadjective
-
Sports. illegally beyond a prescribed line or area or in advance of the ball or puck at the beginning of or during play or a play.
The touchdown was nullified because the offensive left tackle was offside.
-
with or in doubtful propriety or taste; risqué.
an offside joke.
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of offside
Vocabulary lists containing offside
A Soccer and a Football Special
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
World Cup Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Assuming viewers understood the history of English soccer — or even the offside rule — could make the broadcasts unintelligible for new fans who understood neither.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Did really well in the build-up to Florian Wirtz's disallowed goal but was just offside.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
The buyback caught investors offside and thus achieved its short-term goal: yields fell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The offside rule and promotion and relegation are the butts of repeated jokes and there are discussions of tactics, positions, formations and other game-related details that would have previously frustrated viewers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
I ran downfield and positioned myself in front of the goal, being careful not to get offside.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
