offset; offsetting; offsets
1
a
: to place over against something : balance
credits offset debits
b
: to serve as a counterbalance for : compensate
his speed offset his opponent's greater weight
2
: to form an offset in
offset a wall
: to become marked by offset
1
: something that serves to counterbalance or to compensate for something else
demands conspicuous offsets to the enemy's successes
especially
: either of two balancing ledger items
2
a(1)
: a short prostrate (see prostrate entry 1 sense 3) lateral shoot arising from the base of a plant
(2)
: a small bulb arising from the base of another bulb
b
: a lateral or collateral (see collateral entry 2 sense 2) branch (as of a family or race) : offshoot
c
: a spur (see spur entry 1 sense 4a) from a range of hills
3
a
: a printing process in which an inked impression from a plate is first made on a rubber-blanketed cylinder and then transferred to the paper being printed
b
: unintentional transfer of ink (as from a freshly printed sheet)
4
a
b
: a horizontal ledge on the face of a wall formed by a diminution of its thickness above
c
: an abrupt change in the dimension or profile of an object (such as a bowl) or the part set off by such change
5
: something that sets off to advantage or embellishes something else : foil
The clown was a humorous offset in the play.
6
: an abrupt bend in an object (such as a pipe or a rod) by which one part is turned aside out of line
offset
adjective or adverb
Synonyms
Examples of offset in a Sentence
Verb
Gains in one area offset losses in another.
The limited storage space in the house is offset by the large garage.
Noun
a better performance this time will be an offset to last year's dismal showing
symptoms that were striking for their abrupt onset and their equally abrupt offset
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Khouw, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
Snapchat’s North American daily active users declined by 1 million in the quarter (to 100 million), but that was offset by growth in Europe and the rest of the world.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024
PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024
For instance, an Oakland Institute investigation revealed that a forestry company based in Norway arranged for carbon offsets in Uganda that severely disrupted the lives of locals by ramping up pollution and forcing evictions.
—Jules Boykoff, Scientific American, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for offset 
Verb
By selling a put option (short put) in a high volatility environment, the trader receives a higher premium, which helps offset the higher cost of the long put option.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
Snapchat’s North American daily active users declined by 1 million in the quarter (to 100 million), but that was offset by growth in Europe and the rest of the world.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024
Noun
That offset will hold a radiator up to 36mm thick between the fans and the leading edge of a long graphics card, and sits in a space that measures 417mm vertically.
—PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024
For instance, an Oakland Institute investigation revealed that a forestry company based in Norway arranged for carbon offsets in Uganda that severely disrupted the lives of locals by ramping up pollution and forcing evictions.
—Jules Boykoff, Scientific American, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for offset
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near offset
Cite this Entry
“Offset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offset. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offset
1 of 2 noun
off·set
ˈȯf-ˌset 
1
: a short shoot arising from the base of a plant and growing flat on the ground
2
: something that serves to make up for something else
offset
2 of 2 verb
off·set
ˈȯf-ˌset
also ȯf-ˈset
offset; offsetting
: to make up for
gains in one state offset losses in another
Legal Definition
offset
2 of 2 transitive verb
off·set
ˌȯf-ˈset
: to balance, reduce, or calculate by reference to another amount
offset the debt against a credit
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