fob off

verb

"fob-off" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fob off” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To use lies, excuses, or deceit to satisfy (someone); to deceitfully appease someone by giving something that is spurious or inferior from what was wanted or expected.

Key facts for fob off
PropertyValue
Headwordfob off
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fob off” sits in English frequency

fob off falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for fob off is 7 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for fob off in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is fob off, spelled F-O-B- -O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    To use lies, excuses, or deceit to satisfy (someone); to deceitfully appease someone by giving something that is spurious or inferior from what was wanted or expected.
  2. 2
    To fraudulently dispose of (goods).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fob off"?
"fob off" is spelled F-O-B- -O-F-F.
What does "fob off" mean?
As a verb, "fob off" means: To use lies, excuses, or deceit to satisfy (someone); to deceitfully appease someone by giving something that is spurious or inferior from what was wanted or expected.
What language does "fob off" come from?
"fob off" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fob off”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-B- -O-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list