# sod off

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sod-off
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

a very rude way to tell someone to go away or leave you alone. You use this when you are angry or annoyed with someone.

For teachers: a highly informal and vulgar imperative used to dismiss someone abruptly. It functions as a British English dysphemism for 'go away'.

## Examples

- I'm busy, so just sod off!
- He kept asking me for money until I finally told him to sod off.
- The intruder was met with a chorus of shouts telling him to sod off before the police were called to the premises.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He sodded off the room." but "He sodded off." — the phrase is intransitive and cannot take a direct object like a room or a person.

## Usage notes

- used almost exclusively as an imperative or in reported speech to describe a blunt dismissal.
- Teaching tip: explain that while 'sod' is a mild swear word in British English, this phrase is aggressive and should be avoided in all professional or polite settings.

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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.