whack off: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (due to vulgar register)Vulgar slang, informal, taboo
Quick answer
What does “whack off” mean?
To masturbate (slang, vulgar).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To masturbate (slang, vulgar).
Can also mean to remove or cut off something with a sharp blow (literal, rare).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The vulgar sense is understood in both varieties, but the literal sense ('to chop off') may be slightly more current in British English.
Connotations
Strongly vulgar and crude in both varieties. Considered offensive and inappropriate in polite or formal contexts.
Frequency
Very low frequency in corpora due to its taboo nature. More likely encountered in coarse informal speech, certain genres of film/literature, or as an insult.
Grammar
How to Use “whack off” in a Sentence
[Subject] whack off (intransitive, vulgar)[Subject] whack [Object] off (transitive, literal)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “whack off” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He went upstairs to whack off.
- The gardener whacked off the diseased branch.
American English
- He told him to go whack off somewhere else.
- He whacked off the top of the post with a machete.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never appropriate.
Academic
Never appropriate, except possibly in clinical or sociological discussions of slang.
Everyday
Only in very coarse, informal settings among consenting adults. Highly likely to cause offense.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “whack off”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “whack off”
- Using it in mixed company or formal situations.
- Assuming it has a harmless meaning like 'relax'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is consistently considered vulgar and offensive slang.
Yes, a very rare literal meaning 'to chop or strike something off' exists, but the vulgar meaning is overwhelmingly dominant.
Only for passive recognition to understand coarse media or avoid severe social blunders. It should not be actively used by language learners.
The neutral term is 'masturbate'. Euphemisms include 'pleasure oneself' or 'engage in self-stimulation'.
To masturbate (slang, vulgar).
Whack off is usually vulgar slang, informal, taboo in register.
Whack off: in British English it is pronounced /wak ˈɒf/, and in American English it is pronounced /wæk ˈɔf/ or /hwæk ˈɔf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'whack' as a hitting action and 'off' as completion; a crude metaphor for the act.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS A PHYSICAL IMPACT/BLOW.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the phrase 'whack off' be considered acceptable?