# fob off

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fob-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to give someone a poor excuse or a low-quality item to avoid dealing with them or their request.

For teachers: to deceitfully or dismissively persuade someone to accept an excuse, an inferior product, or an unsatisfactory explanation in order to evade a responsibility.

## Examples

- Don't let them fob you off with a cheap replacement.
- When I asked for a refund, the manager tried to fob me off by saying the system was down.
- The government attempted to fob off the public with vague promises of reform rather than addressing the systemic corruption within the department.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He fobbed off me with an excuse." but "He fobbed me off with an excuse." — when the object is a pronoun like 'me', it must come between the verb and the particle 'off'.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a person as the direct object, followed by 'with' and the unsatisfactory thing.
- Teaching tip: this phrasal verb carries a strong sense of dishonesty or laziness; it is more informal and critical than 'deflect' or 'evade'.

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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.