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Meaning & use

one-off

adjective, noun·EverydayBritishinformal

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UK/ˌwʌn ˈɒf/
US/ˌwʌn ˈɔːf/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Done, made or happening only one time and not planned to be repeated.

    Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: a one-off payment, not the payment was one-off, though that also occurs.

    Patterns

    • a one-off payment
    • a one-off event

    The company paid a one-off bonus to every employee.

    It was a one-off concert, so tickets sold out in minutes.

    The delay was a one-off problem and has not happened since.

  2. nouncountable

    A single item, event or occurrence that is unique and will not be repeated.

    Grammar: A countable noun: one one-off, two one-offs.

    Patterns

    • a one-off
    • just a one-off

    The special edition was a one-off, so collectors keep it safe.

    I hope the mistake was just a one-off.

    Their friendship was a one-off that nobody could copy.

Word forms

pluralone-offs

Common combinations

one-off payment
There is a one-off payment for setting up the account.
one-off event
The festival was a one-off event for the town's anniversary.
one-off fee
Pay a one-off fee and use the software forever.
one-off occurrence
Missing a deadline was a one-off occurrence for her.
a one-off performance
The band gave a one-off performance in the old theater.

Synonyms and how they differ

single
Single simply means just one and says nothing about whether it will be repeated, while one-off stresses that it will not recur.
unique
Unique means unlike anything else, which is stronger and about quality, whereas one-off is about happening once.
isolated
Isolated is used for incidents and suggests separation from similar events, often in a more formal or negative context.
occasional
Occasional means happening now and then, so it allows repeats, which a one-off does not.

Opposites

recurringregular

Word family

one-offs noun
plural of one-off
one-time adjective
American near-equivalent meaning happening once
offbeat adjective
unusual, a different word that is sometimes mixed up with one-off

Commonly confused: one-off or one-time?

one-off vs one-time

One-time often means former, as in a one-time champion, while one-off means done only once.

Practice

The club charges a ___ joining fee and no yearly payment after that.

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