keep off

avoid touching, stepping on, or eating something

B2

What does "keep off sth" mean?

To keep off something means to deliberately avoid touching it, walking on it, or consuming it. It covers three main situations: physical surfaces you shouldn't step on (like a freshly seeded lawn), food or substances you should avoid for health reasons (like alcohol or sugar), and topics you deliberately avoid raising in conversation. The phrase is common in public notices with an imperative tone ('Keep off the grass') but also appears in everyday advice about diet or health. Unlike simply 'avoiding' something, 'keep off' often implies a sustained effort or ongoing rule — something you continue to stay away from over time.

Examples

How to use it

keep off + surface/area

Used when warning or advising someone not to walk on or touch a physical surface.

The groundskeeper asked everyone to keep off the newly laid turf.

keep off + food/substance

Used in health or dietary contexts, typically without an article before the noun.

The nutritionist advised him to keep off processed foods for a few weeks.

keep off + topic/subject

Used when someone deliberately avoids raising or discussing a sensitive issue.

We all agreed to keep off the subject of the redundancies during the lunch.

tell/advise/ask + someone + to keep off + object

Used when reporting an instruction or piece of advice given to someone else.

Her physiotherapist told her to keep off high-impact exercise for six weeks.

imperative: keep off + object

Very common in signs, notices, and direct spoken warnings.

Keep off the ice — it isn't safe enough to skate on yet.

Common Collocations

the grassalcoholsugarthe topicfatty foodsthe subject

Common Mistakes

Separating the phrasal verb

Unlike some phrasal verbs, 'keep off' is inseparable — the object must always come after 'off', never between 'keep' and 'off'.

✗ Please keep the grass off.
✓ Please keep off the grass.
Using a gerund as the object

'Keep off' is followed by a noun, not a gerund. If you want to follow it with a verb form, restructure the sentence.

✗ She's trying to keep off eating sugar.
✓ She's trying to keep off sugar.
Confusing 'keep off' with 'keep out of'

'Keep off' refers to not touching, stepping on, or consuming something; 'keep out of' means not entering a space or becoming involved in a situation. Use 'keep off' for surfaces, substances, and topics — not for rooms or buildings you're told not to enter.

✗ The children were told to keep off the basement.
✓ The children were told to keep out of the basement.

Usage

Keep off is neutral in register and appears in both formal notices and everyday advice. In health contexts, it is commonly used without an article: 'keep off sugar' rather than 'keep off the sugar'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'keep off' be used in the present continuous, like 'I am keeping off sugar'?

Technically it's not ungrammatical, but it sounds stilted and unnatural in most contexts. It's much more common to use the simple present or present perfect: 'I keep off sugar' or 'I've been keeping off sugar'. The continuous form is generally avoided with this phrasal verb.

Do I need to use an article before the noun — for example, 'keep off the sugar' or 'keep off sugar'?

In dietary and health contexts, it's more natural to drop the article: 'keep off sugar', 'keep off alcohol', 'keep off gluten'. However, when referring to a specific physical surface or a particular thing already identified in context, the article is used: 'keep off the grass', 'keep off the ice'.

Is 'keep off' mainly used on signs, or is it common in everyday speech too?

Both. It's strongly associated with public signs and notices (especially 'Keep off the grass'), but it's also very natural in everyday conversation — for example, when a doctor gives advice about diet or when someone warns you not to bring up a touchy subject. It has a neutral register, so it works in formal and informal situations alike.

Can 'keep off' be used to talk about avoiding a topic in conversation?

Yes — this is a well-established use. Saying 'keep off politics' or 'keep off the subject' means deliberately not raising or discussing something. It tends to sound slightly deliberate or firm in tone, often suggesting that the topic is sensitive or unwelcome.

Can 'keep off' be used in the passive?

No — passive constructions with 'keep off' are very unnatural. The verb describes active avoidance by a subject, so it doesn't convert into a passive form. Stick to active sentences: 'He kept off alcohol' rather than any passive equivalent.

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