pair off

verb

Definition of pair offnext
as in to couple

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pair off Stay in the neutrals family by topping this grey wool pair off with a simple white button-down and lightweight black jacket. — Christina Holevas, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2026 Eventually, Annie and Link pair off and things get hot and heavy in the Jungle Room. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026 Limon’s brother told the Times that by Sunday, investigators had traced the pair off campus. — Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026 Amid the chaos, an announcement was made encouraging all passengers to remain calm as the plane prepared to land in Kosovo, where police would come onto the plane and escort the pair off, per The Sun. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pair off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pair off
  1. couple
  2. mate
Verb
  • According to the researchers, future electronic-photonic systems will likely require multiple coupling technologies, each balancing manufacturing complexity, optical efficiency, and integration density differently.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
  • The producers essentially did as much once both were exiled from Casa Amor, and the two made the mutual decision to couple up onscreen.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Definition of couple
Verb
  • Bucks will regrow their antlers every year ahead of mating season, and then shed them during the late winter, after mating season is over, according to Mississippi State University.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • Adults only live for a couple of days, long enough to mate and lay eggs.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Definition of mate

Browse Nearby Words

pairing off
pair off
pairs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pair off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pair%20off. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All