off-the-grid

/ˌɒf ðə ˈɡrɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɔːf ðə ˈɡrɪd/ (ame, ipa)

off-the-grid — adjective

1. not linked to the public electricity system, so power comes from a private sourc

1.形容詞C1
釋義

not linked to the public electricity system, so power comes from a private source instead.

例句

The cabin is off-the-grid, so its lights run on solar batteries.

be off-the-grid with private power

Otis bought an off-the-grid farm and installed two wind turbines.

an off-the-grid + place noun

同義詞
  • self-powered

    highlights that a place makes or stores its own electricity

  • unconnected

    more technical and neutral; it does not suggest how the power is supplied

  • independent

    broader and less precise; it can describe many kinds of freedom, not only power supply

反義詞

文法句型

be off-the-grid

an off-the-grid + noun

用法筆記

This sense focuses only on electricity. A place can be off-the-grid in sense 1 even if water arrives in another way; sense 2 is broader and includes other services.

常見錯誤

❌The cafe is off-the-grid because it is hard to find.
✅The cafe is off-the-grid because it makes its own electricity.
💡This sense describes how a place gets power, not how hidden or remote it feels.

2. set up to work without normal public services, using private systems for things

2.形容詞C1
釋義

set up to work without normal public services, using private systems for things like electricity and water.

例句

Kabir and Meera built an off-the-grid home with water tanks and solar panels.

off-the-grid home with its own utilities

The island school is off-the-grid, with rain tanks and solar power.

同義詞
  • self-sufficient

    broader; it can include food and daily living, not only utility services

  • self-reliant

    often describes people or communities more than technical systems

  • autonomous

    more formal and often used in technical or organisational contexts

反義詞

文法句型

be off-the-grid

an off-the-grid + noun

用法筆記

Usually used for a home, site, or community that provides its own basic services. Unlike sense 1, it suggests a wider setup than electricity alone, often including water and sometimes gas or waste systems.

常見錯誤

❌We stayed in an off-the-grid hotel because it was far from town.
✅We stayed in an off-the-grid hotel because it had its own power and water systems.
💡The phrase is about not using normal utilities, not simply being remote.