Meaning & use
offloads
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“offloads” is a form of “offload”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
To remove goods or people from a vehicle, ship, or aircraft.
Grammar: Takes an object: offload the cargo. Often followed by 'from' or 'onto'.
Patterns
- offload something from something
- offload something onto something
The workers offload the boxes from the truck every morning.
They offloaded the passengers onto the dock.
The ship offloads its cargo at the port.
verbtransitive
To get rid of something unwanted, often by selling it or giving it to someone else.
Grammar: Takes an object: offload the stock. Often used with 'onto'.
Patterns
- offload something onto someone
- offload something to someone
The company offloaded its unprofitable division last year.
He offloaded his old furniture onto his neighbors.
They offloads their excess inventory at a discount.
verbtransitive
To give your work or problems to someone else to deal with.
Grammar: Takes an object: offload responsibility. Often followed by 'onto'.
Patterns
- offload something onto someone
- offload work onto someone
She offloads her paperwork onto her assistant.
Don't offload your problems onto me.
Managers often offload difficult tasks onto junior staff.
Word forms
| third person singular | offloads |
|---|---|
| past tense | offloaded |
| past participle | offloaded |
| -ing form | offloading |
Common combinations
- offload cargo
- The crew offloads cargo as soon as the ship docks.
- offload onto
- He offloads his responsibilities onto his colleagues.
- offload from
- They offload the bags from the plane quickly.
- offload stock
- The store offloads old stock at half price.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unload
- Very similar for physical goods, but 'unload' is more common for vehicles; 'offload' is often used for getting rid of unwanted things or responsibilities.
- dump
- Means to get rid of something quickly and often carelessly; it is stronger and less neutral than 'offload'.
- transfer
- Means to move something to another place or person; it does not carry the idea of getting rid of something unwanted.
Opposites
Word family
- offloading noun
- The act of removing goods or getting rid of something.
- offload noun
- An instance of offloading, especially in computing or business.
Commonly confused: offloads or upload?
offloads vs upload
'Upload' means to send data to a computer or the internet. 'Offload' means to remove goods or get rid of something.
Practice
The manager wants to ______ some of his work ______ his team.
Choose one answer.
We offload work onto someone. 'From' is used when removing something from a place, not when giving work to a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “offloads”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.