on site, off site

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   Used to describe work done at a company's own place of business (on site) or somewhere else such as home or a client's office (off site).

   Grammar: Usually written as two linked phrases; as an adverb it follows a verb: 'work on site'.

   Patterns

   • work on site
   • work off site
   • on-site staff
   • off-site meeting

   All the engineers work on site during the week.

   The training will be delivered off site at a hotel.

   We have on-site parking for visitors.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Happening at a company's own buildings (on-site) or away from them (off-site).

   Grammar: Often hyphenated before a noun: an off-site meeting; but after a verb, no hyphen: meet off site.

   Patterns

   • on-site training
   • off-site backup
   • off-site event

   New staff get two days of on-site training.

   The company keeps an off-site backup of all its data.

Common combinations

work on site

Most of the team works on site three days a week.

on-site parking

The hotel has free on-site parking for guests.

off-site meeting

We're holding an off-site meeting to plan the year.

on-site support

Customers get on-site support within 24 hours.

go off site

Staff often go off site for lunch.

Synonyms and how they differ

in-house

Means done by the company's own staff, often at its own offices; it stresses who does the work rather than where.

at headquarters

Names a specific main office, whereas 'on site' can mean any company location.

Opposites

Word family

site noun

A place where a building, event, or activity happens.

on-site adjective

Existing or happening at the same place as the work.

Commonly confused: on site, off site or on sight?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “on site, off site”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words