1 B1 neutral
To form romantic couples from within a group; (of people) to begin a relationship with someone.
"By the end of the retreat, almost everyone had paired off with someone they had met there."
inseparable
pair off
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To form pairs, especially for romantic purposes or as part of a group activity.
In plain English
Split into pairs, especially when two people become a romantic couple.
What does "pair off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To divide a group into pairs for a task or activity.
"The PE teacher paired off the students and told each duo to practise passing drills."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To pair people so each goes off with another — fairly transparent.
Actually means
Split into pairs, especially when two people become a romantic couple.
Usage tip
Often used reflexively or intransitively ('they paired off') in social contexts. Can be used by a teacher or organiser assigning pairs. The romantic sense implies natural or spontaneous coupling within a group.
Words that pair with "pair off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
students guests couples dancers contestants participants
How to conjugate "pair off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pair off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pairs off
he/she/it
Past simple
paired off
yesterday
Past participle
paired off
have + pp
-ing form
pairing off
continuous
Hear "pair off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pair off"
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