off Broadway

noun

variants often Off Broadway
: a part of the New York professional theater stressing fundamental and artistic values and formerly engaging in experimentation
off-Broadway
ˈȯf-ˈbrȯd-ˌwā How to pronounce off Broadway (audio)
adjective or adverb
often Off Broadway

Examples of off Broadway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her father is an independent filmmaker and her grandfather, Cliff Johnson, was a singer in the power pop band Off Broadway. — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 Some past Wagner festival premieres have ended up in off Broadway productions and at regional theaters nationwide. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Joanne Taylor Jason Colson owns Autolab Englewood off Broadway. — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 8 May 2026 The actress and comedian, 36, puts that — along with her shopaholic tendencies, crippling debt and famous last name — at the forefront of her show Nicole Travolta Is Doing Alright, now playing at the SoHo Playhouse off Broadway. — Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off Broadway

Word History

Etymology

from its usually being produced in smaller theaters outside of the Broadway theatrical district

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off Broadway was in 1953

Rhymes for off Broadway

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Browse Nearby Words

offbreak
off Broadway
off camera
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Cite this Entry

“Off Broadway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20Broadway. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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