blow off

not do something you planned, treating it as unimportant

B2

What does "blow sth off" mean?

To blow off something means to deliberately not do it or not show up, treating it as though it doesn't matter. It carries a strong sense of casualness or even disrespect — the person is choosing to ignore an obligation without much concern for the consequences. You might blow off a meeting, a class, an appointment, or plans with a friend. The key feeling is that the person thinks the thing isn't worth their time. This is a very informal expression, much more common in American English than British English, and it sounds natural in conversation and casual texts but would be out of place in professional or formal writing.

Examples

How to use it

blow off + obligation/event

The most common structure, where the object is an event, commitment, or appointment.

He blew off his dentist appointment because he wanted to sleep in.

blow + pronoun + off

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and particle — never after 'off'.

I had a meeting this afternoon, but I blew it off.

blow off + person

The object can also be a person, meaning you casually cancel on them or fail to show up.

She blew off her study partner two days in a row.

blow + noun + off

Short noun phrases can sit between the verb and particle, which often sounds very natural.

They blew the whole practice session off without telling the coach.

be blown off

The passive is possible when the focus is on the event or person that was dismissed.

The team meeting was blown off at the last minute, and nobody was happy about it.

Common Collocations

blow off a meetingblow off classblow off a dateblow off plansblow off a friendblow off work

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'blow' and 'off'. Placing it after the particle is ungrammatical in English.

✗ I had a deadline but I blew off it.
✓ I had a deadline but I blew it off.
Confusing with 'brush off'

'Blow off' focuses on cancelling or not showing up to something; 'brush off' means to dismiss what someone says, such as criticism or advice. They overlap but are not the same.

✗ She blew off his concerns and said everything was fine.
✓ She brushed off his concerns and said everything was fine.
Using it in formal contexts

'Blow off' is strongly informal and American English. In professional or formal writing, use 'cancel', 'skip', or 'miss' instead.

✗ The delegate blew off the afternoon session of the conference.
✓ The delegate skipped the afternoon session of the conference.

Usage

This phrasal verb is informal American English, most common in spoken language and casual writing. It is not appropriate in professional or formal contexts; use 'cancel' or 'skip' instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'blow off' American English? Would British people understand it?

Yes, it's primarily American English and is most natural in American casual speech and writing. British speakers might understand it from American TV or films, but they would more naturally say 'ditch', 'skip', or 'stand someone up' depending on the situation.

Can 'blow off' be used when the object is a person rather than an event?

Yes — you can blow off a person, meaning you cancel on them or fail to show up without much concern. For example, 'She blew off her friend again' means she didn't show up or follow through on plans. When the object is a person, there can be a slight additional sense of social rejection or being ignored.

Does 'blow off' always mean something negative, like being irresponsible?

Not always — it depends on who's speaking and the context. Among friends, it can be used lightly and even approvingly, like encouraging someone to skip class for fun. But it can also carry a critical tone when describing someone who isn't taking their responsibilities seriously. The context usually makes the speaker's attitude clear.

Does 'blow off' have other completely different meanings?

Yes, the same form has a few other uses. 'Blow off steam' is a common expression meaning to release stress or frustration — that's a different sense entirely. There's also a literal sense where something is physically blown away by wind, like 'his hat blew off in the storm'. This page only covers the 'cancel casually' meaning.

What kinds of things can you 'blow off'?

The most typical objects are obligations, events, and commitments — things like a meeting, class, appointment, date, practice, deadline, or homework. You can also blow off a person, meaning you let them down by not showing up. It's less natural with very abstract or large-scale things — you'd rarely say 'blow off a career' or 'blow off a contract'.

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