fob off
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/fɑb ˈɔf/
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To get rid of a demand, person, or unwanted thing through excuses or deception.
Examples
She fobbed the extra tickets off on her brother.
Do not let the landlord fob you off with another excuse.
He tried to complain, but the manager fobbed him off.
They tried to fob off damaged stock on unsuspecting customers.
Are you trying to fob this old laptop off on me?
Similar words
palm off
unload on
pass off
brush off
give the run-around
stall
put offdump on
Meanings
Examples
The helpline fobbed me off with a promise to call back.
Do not let the landlord fob you off with another excuse.
Why did she fob us off when we asked for the figures?
He tried to complain, but the manager fobbed him off.
I will not be fobbed off with a vague answer this time.
Similar words
brush off
give the run-around
stall
put offExamples
They tried to fob off damaged stock on unsuspecting customers.
She fobbed the extra tickets off on her brother.
Are you trying to fob this old laptop off on me?
The dealer could not fob off the imitation as the real thing.
We refused to be fobbed off with a cheaper replacement.
Similar words
palm off
pass off
dump on
unload on
FAQ
It means dismissing someone with excuses or persuading them to accept something unwanted or inferior.
Yes. It is an informal expression and is especially common in British English.
Can fob off be separated?
Yes. A person or thing often comes between the words, as in fob me off or fob the tickets off on someone.
What is the past tense of fob off?
The past tense and past participle are fobbed off, with a doubled b.
What is a close synonym for fob off?
Brush off fits the dismissive sense, while palm off fits the sense of passing on something unwanted.
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