meɪk ɒf
neutral
intermediate
- Base verb:
- make
- Particle:
- off
- Separable:
- No
What does "make off" mean?
- To leave quickly, especially to escape
- To run away, often after doing something wrong
Examples
- The thieves made off with thousands of dollars.
- He made off before anyone could catch him.
- Someone made off with my bicycle while I was in the store.
- The robbers made off in a stolen car.
- They made off with all the company's data.
How to use it
Often used with 'with' to indicate what was taken. 'Make off with' implies stealing or taking something illegally. Common in news reports about crimes.
Similar expressions
escape
flee
run away
abscond
Opposites
stay
remain
arrive
Related phrasal verbs
- make up
To invent a story, excuse, or lie
- make out
To see, hear, or understand something with difficulty
- make up for
To compensate for something bad or lost
- make over
To change someone's appearance, especially with new clothes and hair
- make for
To move towards a place or thing
- turn off
To stop a device or appliance by pressing a switch or button
Use it in a practice answer
Try "make off" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.