was completely off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was completely off" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to someone being incorrect or mistaken about something; for example, "John's guess as to the answer of the question was completely off."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

45 human-written examples

To the engineers, the implementation looked exactly like the specification, but to the designer, everything was completely off". Arbel believed there had to be a better way.

TechCrunch

I was completely off".

The New Yorker

"It was completely off the wall.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

That was completely off the cuff from them.

The Guardian

"That was completely off my own bat," he says.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In the morning session she was completely off it.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

15 human-written examples

I was completely off-base regarding Scott's motivation for the contest.

TechCrunch

"It was completely off-field and unexpected," says Lord Stevenson about his first bout of clinical depression almost 20 years ago.

BBC

I was completely off-base.

Huffington Post

It also had a thin, gruel-like consistency that was completely off-putting.

Huffington Post

By play five or six, I was completely off-book able toff-book ableentorely without assistance, the tired mimeles of my eyes reflecting lalong-whitentirelyormlessly mouthed along.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was completely off" to emphasize the extent to which someone's assessment or understanding is incorrect. It adds a stronger sense of being wrong than simply saying "was off".

Common error

While "was completely off" adds emphasis, overuse of intensifiers like "completely" can weaken your writing. Consider if the emphasis is truly needed or if a more direct statement would be more effective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was completely off" functions as a predicative adjective, modifying the subject to indicate that their assessment, understanding, or action was entirely incorrect. Ludwig provides examples showing its common use in various contexts to express a significant deviation from the truth or accuracy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was completely off" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to indicate that something or someone's assessment was entirely wrong. According to Ludwig, the phrase is frequently used across various contexts, primarily in news and media, with a neutral register. While alternatives exist, "was completely off" effectively emphasizes the degree of inaccuracy. When writing, be mindful of overuse, but understand it serves to provide additional emphasis to a claim of incorrectness. Given the Ludwig AI's validation and its widespread usage, "was completely off" is generally considered appropriate and effective in communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was entirely off the mark

Similar to "was completely off" but with a slightly different emphasis.

was entirely mistaken

Emphasizes the error in thinking or understanding.

was totally wrong

Directly states the incorrectness of something.

was in complete error

Highlights the state of being entirely mistaken.

was far from the truth

Highlights the distance between a statement and reality.

was way off base

An idiomatic expression indicating a significant error in judgment or understanding.

was barking up the wrong tree

An idiomatic expression meaning pursuing a mistaken course of action.

was on the wrong track

Suggests a deviation from the correct path or line of reasoning.

was wide of the mark

Indicates a failure to achieve the intended target or outcome.

was a complete miscalculation

Focuses on the error as a result of incorrect assessment.

FAQs

How can I use "was completely off" in a sentence?

You can use "was completely off" to indicate that someone's guess, assessment, or understanding was entirely incorrect. For example, "His initial estimate of the project's cost "was completely off"".

What's the difference between "was off" and "was completely off"?

"Was off" suggests a minor inaccuracy, while ""was completely off"" implies a significant or total misjudgment. The addition of "completely" intensifies the degree of incorrectness.

What can I say instead of "was completely off"?

You can use alternatives like "was entirely mistaken", "was totally wrong", or "was far from the truth" depending on the specific context.

Is it always appropriate to use "was completely off" in formal writing?

While generally acceptable, consider the tone of your writing. In very formal contexts, alternatives like "was entirely mistaken" might be preferred, but ""was completely off"" is suitable for most professional and news contexts.