# drop off

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to take someone or something to a place and leave them there. You use this when you drive a friend home or deliver a package.

For teachers: to transport and leave a person or object at a specific destination. The verb is transitive and allows for object placement between the base and the particle.

## Examples

- I will drop off the dry cleaning on my way to work.
- Could you drop me off at the train station so I don't have to pay for parking?
- The courier was instructed to drop off the confidential documents at the reception desk before the end of the business day.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I dropped off him at the airport." but "I dropped him off at the airport." — If the object is a pronoun like 'him' or 'it', it must be placed between 'drop' and 'off'.

## Usage notes

- This verb is separable, so you can put the object in the middle or at the end.
- Teaching tip: Teach this alongside 'pick up' as a functional pair for errands and transportation contexts.

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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.