off the shelf

1 of 2

phrase

Synonyms of off the shelfnext
: available from stock : not made to order
off the shelf equipment

off-the-shelf

2 of 2

adjective

ˈȯf-ṯẖə-ˈshelf How to pronounce off-the-shelf (audio)
: available as a stock item : not specially designed or custom-made
off-the-shelf software

Synonyms of off the shelf

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Adjective

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Examples of off the shelf in a Sentence

Adjective she chose to have her computer designed to her specifications rather than buying an off-the-shelf machine
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.
Adjective
Most of the components are off-the-shelf and difficult to trace. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026 One of those is an off-the-shelf model, while there are two other development types. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 7 May 2026 Companies once turned to Dell for off-the-shelf servers, PCs, and data center hardware. — Tharin Pillay, Time, 30 Apr. 2026 Roughly 15 years back, Elon Musk decided off-the-shelf business software didn’t fit the bill for Tesla. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for off the shelf

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off the shelf was in 1950

Rhymes for off the shelf

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Browse Nearby Words

off-the-record
off the shelf
off-the-shelf
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off the shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20the%20shelf. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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