Send someone off

USAGE SUMMARY

"Send someone off" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to bidding farewell to someone, often at a departure or significant event. Example: "We gathered at the airport to send him off before his big move." Alternative expressions include "see someone off" and "bid farewell."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Send someone off, ref! 73 min: Porto substitution: Belluschi on, Guarin off.

The Guardian - Sport

More importantly, the ref is surely going to get a chance to send someone off: will he bottle it?

The Guardian - Sport

They had spent two hours talking about him without criticising him once, not even when he became only the second man to send someone off in a Cup final.

The Guardian - Sport

Divorce, unemployment, ill health, bullying, violence, low pay; each or any of these bumps and blows can send someone off in a bad direction and the rest of us would do well to withhold moral judgment about how a soul has arrived at such a place.

The Guardian - Opinion

"It would give the GC contender teams a reason to send someone off in the break and add real competitiveness to them?" 3.49pm BST 3.48pm: Alessandra Proni from the Vini Fantini team attacks off the front of the peloton, opens a little gap and suddenly sits up on his bike.

The Guardian - Sport

Pamphilon called Williams arrogant, saying, "It's a coward's play to send someone off to do your malicious bidding".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

They see a demonstrated failure to understand what they value -- even when those values mean sending someone off in the wrong direction.

The New York Times

Rolland had sent someone off earlier in the year for tackling as I did and I should have known better going into the game.

The Guardian - Sport

It is what people here see as the demonstrated failure to understand how they think, what they value — even when those values mean sending someone off in the wrong direction.

The New York Times

"At the same time, we will have sent someone off who doesn't want to sign a contract here and he goes to play in the Premier League.

BBC

Leading on from the journey concept, "Bon voyage" is customary for sending someone off at the airport, or train/coach station.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In travel contexts, distinguish between the act of sending (organizing the departure) and the act of seeing (observing the departure).

Common error

Avoid using "send someone off" if your primary intention is to describe going to an airport or station to say goodbye. While often interchangeable in casual speech, "see someone off" is more precise for the physical act of accompanying a traveler to their departure point.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "send someone off" functions as a phrasal verb consisting of the verb "send", a direct object (someone) and the particle "off". In Ludwig examples, it is frequently used in the active voice to describe authoritative actions (like a referee's decision) or social rituals (farewells).

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Academia

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "send someone off" is a versatile and grammatically correct phrasal verb. As seen in the data provided by Ludwig AI, it carries two distinct primary meanings: the disciplinary removal of a person from a game or situation and the act of bidding a formal or social farewell to a departing traveler. While it is highly common in sports journalism and general news, writers should be careful to distinguish it from its close relative ""see someone off"", which is more specific to the act of accompanying someone to their departure. Overall, it is a reliable and clear phrase for professional and casual writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

See someone off

Accompanying someone to the point of departure to say goodbye.

Dismiss someone

A more formal way to describe ordering someone to leave or removing them from a position.

Eject someone

Commonly used in sports or formal events for physical or rule-based removal.

Bid someone farewell

A literary or formal expression for saying goodbye.

Give someone a send-off

Using a noun phrase to describe the event of celebrating someone's departure.

Show someone the door

An idiomatic and often blunt way to ask someone to leave.

Expel someone

Forcing someone to leave an organization or country permanently.

Dispatch someone

Sending someone away specifically to perform a task or mission.

Set someone on a path

Metaphorically directing someone toward a specific life choice or direction.

Red card someone

Specific sports slang derived from soccer for sending a player off the field.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "send someone off" in a sports context?

You can use terms like "eject a player" or "dismiss a player" for more variety in your writing.

How to use "send someone off" in a sentence?

A typical example would be: "The referee had no choice but to "send someone off" after that reckless tackle." or "We gathered at the docks to "send someone off" on their long voyage."

Is "send someone off" formal or informal?

It is generally neutral but widely used in journalism. For highly formal documents, consider "formalize a departure" or "adjourn a session" if the context allows.

What's the difference between "send someone off" and "see someone off"?

"Send someone off" often implies an active role in the departure or a disciplinary dismissal, whereas ""see someone off"" focuses on the act of saying goodbye at the moment of leaving.