off the hook

adjective

Relieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

“off the hook for”

Similar
safe
Opposite
on the hook
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Meanings

off the hook1

adjectiveoff the hook (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticnot comparableRelieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

    off the hook for

    4 more examples

    Well, you're off the hook for next Tuesday's meeting, but you're still on the hook for this Friday's deadline.

    When the boss assigned the project to Tom, the rest of us were relieved to be off the hook.

    Without any evidence, the police had to let the suspect off the hook.

    Dom (David Jonsson): Tempting, but I think it's actually something I need to do. Like, I get what they did was peak, but I have to take some responsibility, you know? Yas (Vivian Oparah): Like, not at all. You're gonna let them off the hook after how they treated you?

    2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane

    Antonyms: on the hook

off the hook2

adjectiveoff the hook (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf a telephone, having an open connection; not hung up.

    I think he left the phone off the hook so that nobody would call him.

  2. not comparableOf a telephone, ringing frequently.

    The phone was ringing off the hook all night.

off the hook3

adjectiveoff the hook (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticinformalnot comparablehobbiesPerforming extraordinarily well.

    That's five three-pointers in a row! Smith is off the hook!

  2. idiomaticinformalnot comparableslangFresh, cool, trendy, excellent, incredible.

    That party was off the hook!

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveRelieved of a duty, burden, responsibility, or pressure.

Opposite
on the hook

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivefreed from danger or blame or obligation

Similar
safe
Also see
safe

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

off the hook · adjective

An allusion to a fish caught on the hook of a fishing line.

Full word history & related roots →

off the hook · adjective

Referring to the candlestick phone, which in order to hang up, the receiver must be hung on a hook. Leaving the receiver off the hook would prevent it from being able to receive calls.

Full word history & related roots →

off the hook · adjective

Unknown.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish salvarse, librarse
  • salvarseTranslations
  • librarseTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

off the hook. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20hook

MLA

“off the hook.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20hook. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “off the hook,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off%20the%20hook.

Source: off the hook on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.