1 C1 idiomatic informal
To trick or pressure someone into accepting something that is unwanted, inferior, or not rightfully theirs.
"He tried to foist off his unwanted furniture on his new flatmates by saying it was a gift."
separable
foist off
C1 informal separable transitive
To force or trick someone into accepting something unwanted or inferior.
In plain English
Make someone take something they don't want, often by being sneaky or pushy about it.
What does "foist off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
To transfer an unwanted task, responsibility, or problem to someone else.
"The manager was always foisting off the most tedious administrative work onto the junior staff."
separable
Usage tip
Primarily used in American English. The construction is typically 'foist something off on someone.' Implies a degree of dishonesty or at least social pressure. Often used for unwanted tasks, inferior goods, or unreasonable opinions being imposed on others.
Words that pair with "foist off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
work task responsibility inferior goods opinion problem
How to conjugate "foist off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
foist off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
foists off
he/she/it
Past simple
foisted off
yesterday
Past participle
foisted off
have + pp
-ing form
foisting off
continuous
Hear "foist off" in the wild
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