sendoff: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumInformal, but acceptable in neutral contexts.
Quick answer
What does “sendoff” mean?
An occasion or expression of good wishes when someone is leaving, such as for a trip, new job, or retirement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An occasion or expression of good wishes when someone is leaving, such as for a trip, new job, or retirement.
Can refer to a celebratory event marking a departure; also, in informal/sports contexts, a forceful dismissal or farewell (e.g., in a game).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term similarly. The spelling is typically solid (sendoff) in AmE, sometimes hyphenated (send-off) in BrE. The hyphenated form is more common in BrE publications.
Connotations
Similar in both—implies a warm, often group-based farewell. In sports journalism (especially BrE), can refer to a player's (often rough) dismissal from a game.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in AmE for social occasions; the sports usage is equally common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “sendoff” in a Sentence
[Someone] gave [someone] a [adjective] sendoff.[An event] served as a sendoff for [someone/something].They had a sendoff at [place].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The team organised a small sendoff for the retiring manager.'
Academic
Rare, except in sociological descriptions of rituals.
Everyday
'We're having a sendoff for Sam before he moves to Canada.'
Technical
Not typical.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sendoff”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sendoff”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sendoff”
- Writing as two separate words in noun form (e.g., 'a send off').
- Using it as a verb (incorrect: 'We will sendoff John' – correct: 'We will give John a sendoff' or 'We will see John off').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun, it is a compound. American English prefers 'sendoff' (solid), British English often uses 'send-off' (hyphenated). The phrasal verb is always two words: 'send off'.
No. 'Sendoff' is a noun. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'send off' (e.g., 'I will send off the parcel tomorrow' or 'The referee sent the player off').
They are close synonyms. 'Sendoff' often implies a specific event or demonstration (a party, a cheer), while 'farewell' can be the act of saying goodbye itself, or a more formal term (e.g., 'farewell speech').
Typically it is positive or celebratory, but it can be neutral or even negative in contexts like a sports 'sendoff' (ejection) or a sombre military departure.
An occasion or expression of good wishes when someone is leaving, such as for a trip, new job, or retirement.
Sendoff is usually informal, but acceptable in neutral contexts. in register.
Sendoff: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛndɒf/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛndɔːf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to give someone a royal sendoff (a magnificent farewell)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: You SEND someone OFF on their journey with a party = SENDOFF.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEPARTURE IS A CELEBRATORY EVENT / MARKING A TRANSITION IS LAUNCHING SOMEONE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'sendoff' LEAST likely to be used?