drop-off

1 of 2

noun

ˈdräp-ˌȯf 

1

: a very steep or perpendicular descent

2

: a marked dwindling or decline

a drop-off in attendance

3

: the act or an instance of making a usually brief deposit or delivery

drop-off points along the route

drop off

2 of 2

verb

ˌdräp-ˈȯf 

dropped off; dropping off; drops off

intransitive verb

: to fall asleep

Synonyms

Noun

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• shrinkage
• step-down

Examples of drop-off in a Sentence

Noun

the drop-off in movie attendance was the greatest in more than a decade

Verb

my interest in photography has dropped off over the years

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But for a team like the Sky seeking backcourt players — preferably lengthy wings with playmaking ability — there’s a sizable drop-off between the second and third picks. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025

The national decline in reading Reading scores on the NAEP have been declining nationwide since 2017, with the sharpest drop-off after the pandemic. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2025

Verb

Giles was deceased when she was dropped off at the hospital, while Cabrales-Arzola died eleven days later. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025

New details have been released regarding the death of an 8-year-old Borger, Texas, student who was killed while being dropped off at school last week. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above