1
: coming or moving away from the shore toward the water
an offshore breeze
2
a
: situated off the shore but within waters under a country's control
offshore fisheries
b
: distant from the shore compare inshore
3
: situated or operating in a foreign country
offshore mutual funds
offshore banking
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshȯr 
: off the shore of
Synonyms
Examples of offshore in a Sentence
Adjective
We sailed to an offshore island.
He works on an offshore oil rig.
They opened an offshore bank account.
He traced the money to an offshore investment company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Orval C. Johnson, Outdoor Life, 31 Oct. 2024
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Warm, dry offshore winds erupted overnight Tuesday and helped spread the fire, which started Wednesday morning amid high temperatures in the 70s.
—Dennis Romero, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
Bubbles emerge from a methane seep offshore Virginia.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
See all Example Sentences for offshore 
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Adverb
Jetties on the north and south protect the channel entrance, but in rough weather the giant seas breaking in shallow water offshore set up a savage turmoil.
—Orval C. Johnson, Outdoor Life, 31 Oct. 2024
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024
Adjective
This will represent 65% of the offshore footprint — such majors easing on down the Yellow Brick Road later include France on December 4, China on December 6, Germany on December 12 and Japan on March 7, 2025.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Warm, dry offshore winds erupted overnight Tuesday and helped spread the fire, which started Wednesday morning amid high temperatures in the 70s.
—Dennis Romero, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Preposition
The Outer Continental Shelf offshore Maine is virgin water for wind.
—Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2023
Bubbles emerge from a methane seep offshore Virginia.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
See all Example Sentences for offshore
Articles Related to offshore
Dictionary Entries Near offshore
Cite this Entry
“Offshore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offshore. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
offshore
1 of 2 adverb
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˈshō(ə)r
-ˈshȯ(ə)r
: from the shore : at a distance from the shore
offshore
2 of 2 adjective
off·shore
ˈȯf-ˌshō(ə)r
-ˌshȯ(ə)r
1
: coming or moving away from the shore
an offshore breeze
2
: located off the shore
offshore islands
an offshore oil rig
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