fob off
/ˌfɑb ˈɔf/
Reviewed on
Type
Phrasal verb
- Informal
Meaning
To attempt to satisfy someone with a false excuse or an inferior substitute.
She tried to fob off her angry customer with a cheap coupon.
To get rid of an unwanted item or responsibility by deceitfully passing it on to someone else.
He managed to fob off the broken laptop onto his unsuspecting roommate.
How it's used
Commonly paired with "with" for the excuse or substitute, or "on" or "onto" for the recipient.
Collocations
- fob off with excuses
- fob off complaints
- fob off onto the public
Synonyms
- palm off
- pass off
- pawn off