off-brand

IPA/ˈɒfˌbrænd/
IPA/ˈɑːfˌbrænd/

off-brand — adjective

1. relating to a product that is made or sold by a company whose name most people d

1.形容詞B1
釋義

relating to a product that is made or sold by a company whose name most people do not recognize, usually at a lower price than the well-known equivalent.

例句

The supermarket sells off-brand cereals that taste just as good as the expensive ones.

attributive: off-brand + noun (cereals)

Kim bought an off-brand phone charger because it was half the price.

同義詞
  • generic

    more neutral; implies plain packaging rather than lack of brand recognition

  • unbranded

    more technical; describes products that carry no brand marking at all

  • no-name

    informal; strongly suggests low quality or unknown origin

反義詞
  • branded

    carries a well-known company name

  • name-brand

    American English; specifically from a famous brand family

文法句型

off-brand + noun

be off-brand

用法筆記

Common in shopping and everyday consumer contexts. Often implies a trade-off between lower price and uncertain quality.

常見錯誤

❌I picked up an off-brand at the store.
✅I picked up an off-brand product at the store.
💡off-brand is an adjective, not a noun; it needs to modify a noun like product or item.

2. describing a choice, action, or product that does not match the high-quality or

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a choice, action, or product that does not match the high-quality or professional impression a business wants to create about itself.

例句

The CEO felt that using cheap paper was off-brand for a luxury hotel chain.

predicative with 'for': off-brand for + [company]

Wei told the designers that the loud graphics were off-brand for the minimalist fashion label.

同義詞
  • unprofessional

    broader; can apply to any situation, not just branding

  • inappropriate

    broader; focuses on unsuitability rather than image mismatch

  • mismatched

    focuses on lack of harmony rather than brand damage

反義詞
  • on-brand

    the direct opposite; perfectly aligned with the company's desired image

文法句型

be off-brand for + [company / industry]

seem / feel off-brand

用法筆記

Frequently used in marketing, branding, and public-relations contexts. The opposite concept is on-brand. This sense is almost always predicative and followed by for + the relevant company or industry.