get off

verb

got off; got off or gotten off; getting off; gets off

intransitive verb

1

: to avoid the most serious consequences of a dangerous situation or punishment

got off with a light sentence

2

: start, leave

got off on the trip early

3

: to leave work with permission or as scheduled

4

: to get high on a drug

5

: to experience orgasm

6

: to experience great pleasure

—often used with on

transitive verb

1

: to secure the release of or procure a modified penalty for

his lawyers got him off

2

a

: utter

get off a joke

b

: to write and send

3

: to succeed in doing, making, or delivering

4

: to cause to get off

Synonyms

• bail
• bail out
• begone
• book [slang]
• bug off
• bug out
• bugger off [British slang]
• buzz (off)
• clear off [chiefly British]
• clear out
• cut out
• depart
• dig out
• exit
• get
• go
• go off
• move
• pack (up or off)
• part
• peel off
• pike (out or off)
• pull out
• push off
• push on
• quit
• run along
• sally (forth)
• scarper [British]
• shove (off)
• step (along)
• take off
• vamoose
• walk out

Examples of get off in a Sentence

told him to get off for home before it got dark

breakfast helps you get off to a good start in the morning

Recent Examples on the Web

This delicious stuff is ridiculously hard to get off. —Dwight Garner, Saveur, 19 Feb. 2025

Kuzmenko got off on the right foot in the Flyers’ 3-2 win over Pittsburgh with an assist on his first shift and a couple of nifty setups, while Pelletier hasn’t yet played due to the immigration process. —Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025

Teller has recently been busy promoting his new movie The Gorge after 2025 got off to a difficult start for him and Sperry, who were among the many to lose their Pacific Palisades home in the California wildfires in January. —Becca Longmire, People.com, 18 Feb. 2025

The recovery response got off to a bad start when Bass appointed Steve Soboroff, a prominent civic leader, as her recovery czar only to face backlash about being paid $500,000 for a few months’ work. —Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025

The White Lotus review: Season 3 gets off to a sleepy start Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 17 Feb. 2025

For those who can identify with standing in line just to stop the world and get off, this is the movie for you, a death-defying and dizzying wild ride. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025

The Long Island native got off on the right foot in 2024, recording a 2.60 ERA over his first 12 starts. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025

The tournament’s one potential four-time state champion got off to a quick start. —Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

get off

verb

1

: set out sense 2

got off on their camping trip

2

: to escape or help to escape punishment or harm