# bump off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bump-off
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to kill someone, usually in a planned way. It is a casual way to talk about murder, often used in old detective stories.

For teachers: to murder someone. This phrasal verb is informal and often carries a slightly cynical or hard-boiled tone, common in crime fiction.

## Examples

- The mobsters plan to bump off their rival.
- In the movie, the villain tries to bump off the hero by sabotaging his car brakes.
- The plot of the noir thriller centers on a private investigator who discovers a conspiracy to bump off the city's mayor.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The detective wondered who bumped off him." but "The detective wondered who bumped him off." — when the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- This is a transitive phrasal verb that is usually separable when using a pronoun.
- Teaching tip: Contrast this with 'kill' to show how register changes the tone of a sentence; 'bump off' sounds like a line from an old gangster film.

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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.