offshoot

noun

ˈȯf-ˌshüt How to pronounce offshoot (audio)
Definition of offshootnext
1
as in limb
a branch of a main stem especially of a plant we knew the rosebush had survived the harsh winter when it began producing offshoots and turning green again

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in derivative
something that naturally develops or is developed from something else opened a shop selling fancy foods as an offshoot of their very successful restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 offshoot Vagmaxxing seems the logical offshoot of a trend that prizes unreasonable, unrealistic body modification to the point of impossible AI perfection and transhumanism—scary enough! — Valerie Monroe, Allure, 21 Sep. 2026 Al Jazeera gave a prime-time slot to Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who was widely regarded as the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, an influential Islamist group with offshoots around the world—including Hamas. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 There’s no end to the constant stream of offshoots, including doomgaze, grunge-gaze, twang-gaze, and surf-gaze. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 In early 2026, Yari unveiled his specialty offshoot Magenta Edge to acquire and release indie films on theatrical and ancillary platforms. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for offshoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offshoot
  1. limb
  2. derivative
  3. outgrowth
  4. derivation
  5. sprout
  6. derivate
  7. shoot
  8. growth
Noun
  • Power flows immediately on contact and cuts out the second the limb lifts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • After its manufacturer withdrew it in 1961, more than 10,000 children were found to have been born with severe malformations, in which their limbs were shortened or failed to form.
    — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • The new approach combines hydrazine with a thiophenol derivative, then exposes the mixture to light.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The leaves and flowers of the plant are particularly rich in kaempferol and its derivatives.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of derivative
Noun
  • Vaccine skepticism is also in some ways an outgrowth of our modern wellness culture.
    — Nicholas Florko, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Then comes outgrowth, three or four hours of rebuilding the proteins and machinery of a working cell.
    — Canan Karakoç, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of outgrowth
Noun
  • Language itself was an obsession, with many family dinners ending with Davis pulling out his unabridged Oxford English Dictionary to share the derivation of a word.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Many forms of divination have been practiced historically in Africa, but divination techniques found in Hoodoo have sometimes been of European derivation; for instance, Hoodoo frequently employs cartomancy, or divination using playing cards.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of derivation
Noun
  • The unusually large amount of water allowed millions of seeds and bulbs to sprout and bloom, many of them after remaining dormant for decades.
    — Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Sometimes your potatoes will be not be super clean with little sprouts and little rotten bits that need to be cut off.
    — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprout
Noun
  • While Apple shares were up more than 4% in trading Friday, all of the derivate plays were trading in the red.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 1 May 2026
  • With unique enough lore and a unique style, Saxon avoids making a derivate fable.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Definition of derivate
Noun
  • The Canary Islands broaden that services pitch to international shoots.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • During a shoot on a remote island, Lee and the rest of the crew had to lug heavy equipment off boats and across a mountain.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of shoot
Noun
  • The rest was onshore coalbed methane, or coal seam gas, and those resources aren’t in growth mode either.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Once a high-flying tech growth story, the nearly 30-year-old company is now the studio establishment as all the attention and investment has gone to AI bets in public markets.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of growth

Browse Nearby Words

offsetting
offshoot
offshoots
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Cite this Entry

“Offshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offshoot. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on offshoot

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about offshoot

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