To transfer a task, cost, responsibility, or processing load to another person, organization, or system.
Examples
The app offloads image processing to a cloud server.
Managers should not offload every difficult decision onto junior staff.
The policy offloaded cleanup costs onto local taxpayers.
Could we offload some routine checks to an automated tool?
Sketching the diagram offloaded part of the mental work.
Similar words
delegate
transfer
outsource
shift
assign
hand over
Share troubling feelings
verb
emotions
informal
To talk to someone about worries, problems, or strong feelings so that they feel less burdensome.
Examples
After work, he offloaded his worries to a close friend.
You can offload here without being judged.
She did not want to offload all her anger onto her sister.
We spent an hour offloading about the week we had endured.
Have you got someone you trust enough to offload to?
Similar words
confide
vent
unburden oneself
open up
talk
share
Pass while being tackled
verb
rugby
technical
In rugby, to pass the ball to a teammate while an opponent is tackling or holding the ball carrier.
Examples
The center offloaded to the winger just before hitting the ground.
He tried to offload, but the defender trapped both arms.
Do not offload unless a supporting player is ready.
She offloads brilliantly in heavy contact.
The forward stayed upright long enough to offload the ball.
Similar words
pass
release
feed
Pass made during a tackle
noun
rugby
technical
In rugby, a pass made by a ball carrier while being tackled or held by an opponent.
Examples
Her late offload created the winning try.
That risky offload gave possession back to the opposition.
Was the offload completed before his knee touched the ground?
The team practiced quick offloads after contact.
A clean offload kept the attack moving.
Similar words
pass
release
feed
Etymology
Formed from off and load, probably on the model of Dutch afladen and first recorded in South African English in the mid-nineteenth century with the sense “unload.” Its later figurative uses extend the idea of taking a burden away from its original carrier.
FAQ
What does offload mean?
It broadly means removing a load or passing a burden elsewhere. The load may be cargo, unwanted property, work, costs, computer processing, or troubling feelings.
What is the difference between offload and unload?
Both can mean removing cargo from transport. Offload also commonly means transferring unwanted property, work, responsibility, or emotional burdens to someone or something else.
Can a computer offload work?
Yes. A device or program can transfer demanding processing, storage, or network work to another processor, server, or cloud service.
What does offload onto someone imply?
It often suggests passing an unwanted object, duty, cost, blame, or emotional burden to that person, sometimes unfairly.
What is an offload in rugby?
It is a pass made while the ball carrier is being tackled or held, usually to keep the attack moving before a ruck forms.
How do you pronounce offload?
In General American English it is pronounced /ˈɑfˌloʊd/, with the main stress on the first syllable.
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