reel off

verb

reeled off; reeling off; reels off
Synonyms of reel offnext

transitive verb

1
: to tell or recite readily and usually at length
reel off a few jokes to break the ice
2
: to chalk up usually as a series

Examples of reel off in a Sentence

he's able to reel off the names of all the U.S. presidents, in historical order and without pausing her friend proceeded to reel off the roster of losers that she had dated over the years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Iowa has reeled off at least eight wins all but one non-pandemic season since 2013. ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 The Catalans then reeled off Ferran’s trophy haul at the Spotify Camp Nou, over a four and half season haul following his $63 million (€55 million) transfer from Manchester City in late 2021. Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Over the weekend, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a highly influential figure in the Revolutionary Guards, reeled off a maximalist set of demands for reopening the strait. Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 FanGraphs now gives the Astros a 33 percent chance to reach the postseason, odds that have continued to climb as Houston has reeled off five consecutive wins. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for reel off

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reel off was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Reel off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reel%20off. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

reel off

verb
: to tell or recite rapidly and easily
reeled off the right answers

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