Meaning trap
come off
give impression
To appear or seem to have a particular quality, attitude, or emotion, especially in the way you are perceived by others.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To appear or seem to have a particular quality, attitude, or emotion, especially in the way you are perceived by others.
'come off' also has the more basic meaning 'succeed'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- 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
Fix the pattern
Pattern: come off (as) + adjective/noun
WrongShe comes off arrogant.
RightShe comes off as arrogant.
You need 'as' + adjective — 'come off AS arrogant'.
Patterncome off (as) + adjective/noun
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'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'.)
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
come off asas rudeas arrogantas genuinebadly
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.