offsetting

offsetting — verb

1. to use one gain, saving, or helpful effect to reduce the impact of a cost, loss,

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to use one gain, saving, or helpful effect to reduce the impact of a cost, loss, or other negative result, so the final difference becomes smaller or disappears.

例句

Kenji is offsetting the extra rent by teaching two evening coding classes.

offsetting + cost + by + activity

Offsetting winter fuel bills with a council grant kept Paloma's shop open.

gerund subject: offsetting + noun + with + noun

同義詞
  • counterbalance

    more formal and often suggests equal force on both sides

  • compensate for

    broader and common when talking about making up for a problem

  • cancel out

    more informal and often implies the difference becomes zero

反義詞
  • worsen

    to make the loss or problem greater instead of reducing it

文法句型

offsetting + cost / loss / effect + with / by + noun

用法筆記

Object is usually a cost, loss, risk, or negative effect. The thing doing the offsetting is often money, extra income, a benefit, or another positive result.

常見錯誤

The bonus offsetting that our team was tired.
The bonus was offsetting our team's tiredness a little.
💡use a noun phrase after the verb, not a that-clause.

2. to reduce the climate harm caused by your flights, fuel use, or other activity b

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to reduce the climate harm caused by your flights, fuel use, or other activity by paying for a project that cuts or removes the same amount of carbon dioxide.

例句

Layla is offsetting her honeymoon flights by funding a mangrove project in Kenya.

offsetting + flights + by + project

The travel company began offsetting every safari tour through a new wind farm.

同義詞
  • neutralize

    common in climate language when the net carbon effect is brought to zero

  • compensate for

    broader phrase that can be used both inside and outside climate talk

文法句型

offsetting + emissions / flights / footprint + by + project

用法筆記

This sense is specific to carbon emissions and climate impact. Distinguish it from sense 1, which can refer to balancing any cost or disadvantage, not only pollution.

常見錯誤

We are offsetting our plastic waste with this payment.
We are offsetting our flight emissions with this payment.
💡this sense is about carbon pollution, not every kind of environmental problem.

3. to print by first moving an image onto an intermediate surface, or to cause fres

3.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

to print by first moving an image onto an intermediate surface, or to cause fresh ink or another printed image to rub off onto a second surface.

例句

The old press kept offsetting wet blue ink onto the back of each poster.

offsetting + ink + onto + surface

Offsetting the cafe logo onto metal lids gave the jars a cleaner finish.

printing process: offsetting + image + onto + material

同義詞
  • transfer

    general verb for moving a mark or image to another surface

  • smudge

    used when the printed image becomes blurred or dirty by rubbing

  • print

    much broader and not limited to the offset process

文法句型

offsetting + ink / image + onto + surface

be offsetting onto + surface

用法筆記

Common in printing talk rather than general everyday English. The object is usually ink, an image, or printed matter, and the result appears on another sheet or surface.

offsetting — noun