# off chance

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/off-chance
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A possibility that is not likely or probable.

## Examples

- I brought an umbrella on the off chance that it rains.
- She checked the lost and found on the off chance that someone had turned in her missing keys.
- He kept his old passport in his desk on the off chance that he might suddenly decide to travel abroad for work.

## Origin

From *off* + *chance*, a compound first recorded in the mid-19th century to denote a slight or remote possibility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.