put off
3 meanings
delay something to a later time
What does "put off" mean in this sense?
Examples
- We've put off the launch until next month because the product isn't ready.
- She keeps putting her dentist appointment off — she's been avoiding it for weeks.
- The press conference was put off indefinitely due to the ongoing crisis.
How to use it
The most common pattern — the object is always an event, task, or plan, never a person.
They put off the meeting because the manager was travelling.
With short noun objects, the object usually goes between the verb and particle.
We need to put the launch off until the website is ready.
With pronouns, the pronoun must always go between the verb and particle — this is not optional.
I was going to call the doctor, but I keep putting it off.
The passive form is natural and common, especially in announcements about events or deadlines.
The exam has been put off until next week due to the holiday.
This pattern is very common when describing procrastination — someone repeatedly delaying something they should do.
He keeps putting his tax return off, even though the deadline is close.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and particle, not after 'off'.
'Put off' means to move something to a later time; 'call off' means to cancel it completely with no plan to reschedule. If the event is just delayed, use 'put off'.
'Put off' in this sense (postpone) takes an event, task, or plan as its object — not a person. Using a person as the object gives the phrasal verb a completely different meaning (to discourage or repel someone).
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English, from casual conversation to business emails. It is very common in the pattern 'put something off until [time]'.
make someone dislike or lose interest in something
Sense 2: What does "put sb off" mean?
Examples
- The horrible reviews put me off going to that restaurant.
- She was put off by his rude attitude during the interview.
- Don't let the difficult grammar put you off learning the language — it gets easier.
How to use it
The most common active pattern: the person being discouraged sits between the verb and particle, and the activity they are put off follows as an -ing form.
The long application process put her off applying for the job.
The passive form is extremely natural and very frequently used — the discouraged person becomes the subject and the cause follows 'by'.
He was put off by the strong chemical smell in the shop.
When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and particle — never after 'off'.
The price was so high it nearly put us off completely.
The cause of discouragement can also be expressed as a noun rather than a gerund, describing the thing the person is put off from or put off by.
The mixed reviews put a lot of potential customers off the new product.
A common construction used to encourage someone not to be discouraged by something, often with 'let'.
Don't let one bad experience put you off trying again.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
This is the most important confusion to avoid. When 'put off' means postpone, the object is an event or task with no human recipient ('put off the meeting'). When it means discourage, there must be a person being put off, and the cause typically follows as a gerund or noun phrase ('put me off going').
When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'put' and 'off', not after 'off'. Placing a pronoun after the particle sounds unnatural and is considered incorrect.
In the active form, 'put off' needs a person as its object — the one being discouraged. Omitting the person and using only a cause and an activity sounds incomplete.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. The passive form 'I was put off by...' is very common and natural — make sure you practise this pattern as well as the active form.
distract someone so they cannot concentrate on what they are doing
Sense 3: What does "put sb off" mean?
Examples
- Don't talk to me while I'm driving — it puts me off.
- The loud music in the café was putting her off while she tried to study.
- He put the goalkeeper off just as he was about to kick the ball.
How to use it
The most common pattern: the distraction (noise, person, movement) is the subject, and the distracted person sits between 'put' and 'off'.
The crowd put the tennis player off just as she was about to serve.
Personal pronouns always go between 'put' and 'off' — they can never follow 'off'.
Please stop moving around — you're putting me off.
The imperative is commonly used to ask someone to stop causing a distraction.
Don't put him off while he's trying to concentrate — wait until he's finished.
This pattern makes it clear that the distraction is happening during an activity already in progress.
The notifications kept putting her off while she was writing her presentation.
The pronoun 'it' is often used as the subject when referring to a situation or general condition that causes the distraction.
It really puts him off when people talk during a performance.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
The distraction sense always has a person as the object, placed between 'put' and 'off'. If the object is an event or task (like a meeting or a trip), that is the postpone sense, not this one.
This distraction sense is about a momentary loss of focus during an activity — it does not mean someone loses interest in something or develops a dislike for it. If the feeling lasts beyond the moment, it's likely the discourage sense.
Pronoun objects must always go between 'put' and 'off', not after 'off'. Placing a pronoun after 'off' is ungrammatical.
Usage
This sense is neutral in register and very common in spoken English, especially when talking about concentration and performance. The person being distracted is always the object, placed between 'put' and 'off'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'put off' always mean postpone? I've seen it used differently.
No, 'put off' has more than one meaning. In this sense, the object is always an event, task, or plan — something that gets moved to a later time. If you see a person as the direct object (e.g. 'The noise put me off'), that's a different sense of the phrasal verb with a different meaning.
Can I use 'put off' in a formal email or business writing?
Yes, 'put off' is neutral and works well in both formal and informal situations. It is perfectly natural in a business email, such as 'The meeting has been put off until Thursday.' If you prefer, you can use 'postpone', which has a slightly more formal feel, but 'put off' is not out of place in professional writing.
What do I put after 'put off' to say when something will happen instead?
The most common pattern is 'put something off until + time', for example: 'We put the trip off until next month' or 'She put off the appointment until after the holiday.' You can also use 'put something off indefinitely' if no new date has been set.
Can 'put off' be used without saying what it will be delayed until?
Yes, you don't need to mention a new date. You can simply say 'We put the meeting off' or 'He keeps putting it off' without specifying a future time. The idea of delay is already clear from the phrasal verb itself.
Does 'put off' always mean discourage? I've seen it used differently.
'Put off' has more than one meaning. This entry covers the sense of causing someone to lose interest or feel discouraged. The same form can also mean to postpone something ('We put off the meeting') or to distract someone mid-task. Context usually makes the meaning clear — if there's a person losing interest, it's almost certainly this sense.
What's the difference between 'put off' and 'turn off' when talking about losing interest?
Both can describe losing interest or attraction, but 'turn off' tends to suggest a stronger, often more emotional or physical repulsion. 'Put off' is more neutral and covers everything from mild hesitation to real aversion. You'd be more likely to use 'turn off' for something that deeply repels you and 'put off' for a wider range of discouraging situations.
Can I use 'put off' in writing, or is it too informal?
'Put off' in this sense is neutral and works in most contexts — everyday conversation, journalism, business writing, and online reviews. It would feel slightly out of place in very formal academic writing, but in most professional or semi-formal situations it is perfectly appropriate.
What kinds of things typically cause someone to be 'put off'?
Almost anything can put someone off — a smell, a high price, a person's attitude, a negative review, a long wait, or an off-putting first impression. Common patterns you'll see are 'put off by the smell / price / noise' and 'put off going / trying / buying'. Both causes and activities fit naturally with this phrasal verb.
Can I say 'I was put off' without saying what put me off?
Yes — if the context is clear, you can drop the cause entirely. For example, 'I read the reviews and was immediately put off' works perfectly. You can also add the cause with 'by': 'I was put off by the reviews'. Both forms are natural in spoken and written English.
Does 'put off' always mean distract? I've seen it used in other ways.
No — 'put off' has at least two other common meanings: to postpone something ('she put off the meeting') and to discourage someone or cause aversion ('the bad reviews put me off the film'). This page covers only the distraction sense, where someone loses concentration during an ongoing activity. The key clue is that the object is always a person who is mid-task.
Can I use 'distract' instead of 'put off' in every case?
'Distract' is a very close synonym for this sense and can often replace 'put off' naturally. However, 'put off' tends to sound slightly more informal and is especially common in spoken British English. In most everyday contexts, both work well.
Can I use 'put off' in the passive, like 'I was put off by the noise'?
It's possible, but it often sounds unnatural for this distraction sense and can easily be confused with the discourage sense. It's much more natural to keep the active structure, with the cause of the distraction as the subject: 'The noise put me off.'
What kinds of things can 'put someone off' in this sense?
Typical causes include noise, background music, someone talking or moving nearby, a crowd, interruptions, or being watched. The key is that they are external factors that break someone's concentration while they are in the middle of an activity — like driving, speaking, studying, or performing.
Is 'put off' in this sense mainly British English?
It's used across different varieties of English, but it is particularly common in British English, especially in sports commentary and everyday conversation. Speakers of other varieties might more naturally say 'distract' in the same situations, but 'put off' in this sense is widely understood.
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