come off — give impression
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
To appear or seem to have a particular quality, attitude, or emotion, especially in the way you are perceived by others.
Say it like a native
Textbook In interviews he conveys the impression of being rather arrogant.
Native He comes off as a bit arrogant in interviews.
'Come off as' is the natural way to describe the impression someone gives; the formal paraphrase is bookish. (AmE-leaning; BrE often 'come across as'.)
Pattern: come off (as) + adjective/noun
In use
- He can sometimes come off as arrogant, but he's actually very kind once you get to know him.communication
- In interviews, candidates should be careful not to come off as overconfident, as this can negatively affect the interviewer's perception.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She comes off arrogant.
✓ She comes off as arrogant.
You need 'as' + adjective — 'come off AS arrogant'.
Common collocations
come off as— as rude, as arrogant, as genuine, badly
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('become detached') and the B2 sense ('succeed'), this sense is figurative and relates to the impression someone gives, not to physical separation or success.
Related
- come off (succeed) — 'come off' also has the more basic meaning 'succeed'; this is the advanced sense.