# go off with

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to leave a place or person in order to be with someone else, often for a romantic relationship.

For teachers: to depart in the company of another person, typically implying the abandonment of a previous partner or social group for a new romantic interest.

## Examples

- He decided to go off with his new girlfriend.
- After ten years of marriage, she suddenly went off with a colleague she met at work.
- The protagonist's decision to go off with the mysterious stranger serves as the primary catalyst for the family's eventual collapse.

## Pitfalls

- Not "She went off with him to the cinema." but "She went to the cinema with him." — 'Go off with' usually implies leaving one's current life or partner for someone else, not just attending an event together.

## Usage notes

- usually implies a sudden departure or a choice that might upset others.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'go off' (to explode or to stop liking something) to show how the addition of 'with' creates a specific social or romantic meaning.

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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.