foist off

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To fraudulently or disingenuously pass (goods, or ideas) on to.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

She was talking big, but the Haruhi of last year would've forced people to attend an explanatory lecture about the brigade, printed huge numbers of flyers, and foisted them off on absolutely everybody.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To get rid of (something unwanted) by giving it to someone else.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “foist off” mean?

To fraudulently or disingenuously pass (goods, or ideas) on to.

Is “foist off” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.