variants or off-the-grid
: not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (such as electricity, gas, or water)
When folks move to an off-grid, rural homestead, they often end up burning a lot of fossil fuels (and spending a lot of money) driving to and from town in an inefficient farm truck.Cam Mather
Four Harvard University students are bringing portable, sustainable power to off-grid areas in developing countries …Emily Aviles
It's hard to imagine a more inspiring space than this off-the-grid building (powered by nearby solar panels).Samuel Cochran
Traditionally, home schooling has been branded as a fringe activity—the domain of Bible-toting parents and off-the-grid hippies.Lynn Schnaiberg
off the grid adverb
or less commonly off-the-grid or off-grid
Not everyone can live off the grid. At least not yet. But until then, many of us are doing simple things to conserve energy, save money and help the environment. Paul Singley
I'm not taking about modern-day Thoreaus building shacks in the woods and living off-the-grid Paul McFedries
Right now people who live off-grid with PV panels on their roofs rely on ordinary batteries to get through the night. George Johnson

Examples of off-grid in a Sentence

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.
As mentioned, there are lots of optional upgrades available for the Smile, including an off-grid system with solar panels, batteries, and water harvesting. Adam Williams april 25, New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026 Plans are underway for the estate to operate largely off-grid, with much of the property already powered by solar. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Similar designs might help manage heat in electronics, improve energy-efficient building materials, or support small, off-grid power systems where reliability matters more than peak output. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026 His version of off-grid living is not entirely disconnected. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off-grid

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-grid was in 1978

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Cite this Entry

“Off-grid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-grid. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

off-grid

adjective
variants or off-the-grid
: not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (as electricity, gas, or water)
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