What Does โVote sb off sthโ Mean?
โVote sb off sthโ means to remove someone from a group, team, or competition by voting. It often happens when people decide someone should leave a contest or event.
Introduction
The phrase โVote sb off sthโ is commonly used in contexts like reality TV shows, competitions, or any group activity where members decide who should leave. Understanding the Vote sb off sth meaning helps learners grasp how voting can be used to eliminate participants. It is a phrasal verb that combines a voting action with removing someone from a situation, usually based on majority decision. This expression is useful in both formal and informal conversations when describing elimination processes.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Vote sb off sth (e.g., vote someone off a team)
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To remove someone by voting
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โVote sb off sthโ is a separable phrasal verb.
- Pattern: vote + somebody + off + something
- Example: They voted her off the show.
- You cannot separate โoffโ from the verb; it must stay after the object.
How to Use Vote sb off sth?
Use โvote sb off sthโ when talking about removing someone by voting. It usually refers to competitions or groups where participants are eliminated based on votes. The object โsbโ (somebody) is the person being removed, and โsthโ (something) is the event, team, or place they are being removed from.
Examples
In reality TV shows, contestants are often voted off by the audience or judges. Here are some examples of Vote sb off sth in a sentence:
- The viewers voted him off the island after the challenge.
- She was voted off the team because of her poor performance.
- They voted him off the committee last week.
- After the debate, the candidates were voted off the list.
- He was voted off the show despite his popularity.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the order or use the verb without โoff.โ Here are common mistakes:
- Incorrect: They voted off her from the team.
- Correct: They voted her off the team.
- Incorrect: She was voted from the show off.
- Correct: She was voted off the show.
Remember, โoffโ must come immediately after the object.
Differences / Synonyms
โVote sb off sthโ is similar to โkick sb outโ or โthrow sb out,โ but it has a specific meaning involving voting. For example, โkick sb outโ can happen without voting, often by authority.
- Vote sb off sth: Removal by voting.
- Kick sb out: Forced removal, not necessarily by vote.
- Throw sb out: Informal, sudden removal.
Use โvote sb offโ when the decision comes from a group vote.
Common Collocations
We often see โvote sb offโ used with certain nouns related to groups or competitions. Here are common collocations:
- Vote sb off the team: Remove from a sports or work team.
- Vote sb off the show: Eliminate from a TV competition.
- Vote sb off the island: Popular in survival or reality shows.
- Vote sb off the committee: Remove from a decision-making group.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of vote sb off sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Imagine two friends talking about a reality TV show:
Anna: Did you see last nightโs episode?
John: Yes, they voted Sarah off the island. I was surprised!
Anna: Me too. I thought she would stay longer.
Practice
Fill in the blank with the correct form of โvote sb off sthโ:
- The judges decided to ________ him ________ the competition after the poor performance.
- In the last round, the audience ________ two contestants ________ the show.
FAQ
- What does โvote sb off sthโ mean? It means to remove someone from a group or competition by voting.
- Is โvote sb off sthโ separable? No, the word โoffโ must come immediately after the object.
- Can I say โvote off sb sthโ? No, the correct order is โvote sb off sth.โ
- Where is โvote sb off sthโ commonly used? It is often used in reality shows, competitions, and group decisions.
- What is a synonym for โvote sb off sthโ? โKick sb outโ or โthrow sb out,โ but these donโt always involve voting.

