# strip off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to take off all your clothes, or to remove a layer of something from a surface.

For teachers: to remove one's clothing, typically entirely; also used transitively to describe the removal of a covering or layer from a surface.

## Examples

- The kids stripped off and ran into the sea.
- After working in the muddy garden all day, he stripped off his wet clothes in the hallway.
- The renovators spent the entire afternoon stripping off the ancient, floral wallpaper to reveal the bare plaster beneath.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He stripped off of his shirt." but "He stripped off his shirt." — the verb is transitive when an object is present; do not use the preposition 'of' between the particle and the object.

## Usage notes

- can be used intransitively for undressing or transitively when removing a covering like paint or wallpaper.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'take off' (general clothing) and 'undress' (more formal); 'strip off' implies a faster or more complete removal.

---

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.