on the off chance
idiom
—used to talk about something that might happen or be true but that is not likely
I called his office on the off chance that he would still be there, but he had already left.
Examples of on the off chance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
My sister started watching episodes of House on the off chance some TV writers had scripted a situation like this.
—
Katie Gutierrez, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024
With that in mind, my packing list is all about maximum practicality, while trying to stay at least a tiny bit presentable on the off chance my husband remembers to take a #proofofmom pic.
—Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
The inflation process happens with the tire placed inside a safety cage to protect mechanics on the off chance there’s a catastrophic failure.
—Ryan Erik King / Jalopnik, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2024
And on the off chance there could be another special female guest at the Kelce table this year, Donna is ready for it.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 3 Nov. 2023
There’s also the option to add a wood or acrylic display stand on the off chance that your recipient loves their gift too much to actually play with it.
—Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2023
And on the off chance that South Bend hosts a shootout that week, the Buckeyes must be prepared.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Gutierrez, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024
With that in mind, my packing list is all about maximum practicality, while trying to stay at least a tiny bit presentable on the off chance my husband remembers to take a #proofofmom pic.
—Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
The inflation process happens with the tire placed inside a safety cage to protect mechanics on the off chance there’s a catastrophic failure.
—Ryan Erik King / Jalopnik, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2024
And on the off chance there could be another special female guest at the Kelce table this year, Donna is ready for it.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 3 Nov. 2023
There’s also the option to add a wood or acrylic display stand on the off chance that your recipient loves their gift too much to actually play with it.
—Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2023
And on the off chance that South Bend hosts a shootout that week, the Buckeyes must be prepared.
—Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near on the off chance
Cite this Entry
“On the off chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20off%20chance. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share