variants
or less commonly off-line
1
: not connected to or served by a system and especially a computer or telecommunications system
One of the servers is offline.
… we suggest you keep a backup of your digital assets in offline storage, too. This storage can provide some cushioning if your online investment disappears in an instant.—
The Denver (Colorado) Post
The Denver (Colorado) Post
also
: done or occurring independently of such a system
our online and offline lives
offline activities/events
Movies and shows can be downloaded via the app for offline viewing. —Dan Auty
Dan Auty 2
of a person
: not available (as for communication) especially by way of the the Internet
She was having computer trouble, she told him, and would be offline for a while.—Mark Warren
Mark Warren
off-line
adverb
Examples of offline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2019, the facility was offline for about a week due to the hexavalent chromium discharge.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Researchers worldwide will suffer if collaborations are shut down and databases taken offline, scientists say.
—Christina Larson, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
The chatbot was then given access to emails implying it would soon be taken offline and replaced with a new AI system.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Securing cash was a challenge, however, because ATMs were also offline.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 May 2025
This antenna needed to be taken offline for upgrades, but there was a real risk that when it was turned back on, contact with Voyager 1 might be lost forever.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 20 May 2025
The lights went out from Lisbon to Barcelona; trains stopped, air traffic controllers went offline and hospital workers scrambled to keep patients alive.
—Kelly McKinney, Twin Cities, 18 May 2025
Backup your data regularly: Create multiple backups of your important files, including at least one offline copy.
8.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2025
These gains come from deeper-funnel event tracking that pixels alone can’t capture: qualified leads, offline purchases or multisite conversion paths that complete the picture of the customer journey.
—Heidi Bullock, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Researchers worldwide will suffer if collaborations are shut down and databases taken offline, scientists say.
—Christina Larson, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
The chatbot was then given access to emails implying it would soon be taken offline and replaced with a new AI system.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Securing cash was a challenge, however, because ATMs were also offline.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 May 2025
This antenna needed to be taken offline for upgrades, but there was a real risk that when it was turned back on, contact with Voyager 1 might be lost forever.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 20 May 2025
The lights went out from Lisbon to Barcelona; trains stopped, air traffic controllers went offline and hospital workers scrambled to keep patients alive.
—Kelly McKinney, Twin Cities, 18 May 2025
Backup your data regularly: Create multiple backups of your important files, including at least one offline copy.
8.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2025
These gains come from deeper-funnel event tracking that pixels alone can’t capture: qualified leads, offline purchases or multisite conversion paths that complete the picture of the customer journey.
—Heidi Bullock, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offline. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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