Pronunciation: /ɔf ɡɑrd/
noun a state of being unprepared or caught by surprise
A1 She caught me off guard with her surprise party.
A2 The sudden rainstorm caught us off guard during our picnic.
B1 The unexpected news caught him off guard and left him speechless.
B2 The clever trickster always knows how to catch people off guard with his pranks.
C1 The experienced spy never lets his guard down and is never caught off guard.
C2 The military strategist always plans ahead to ensure his troops are never caught off guard in battle.
adjective not prepared or alert
A1 The loud noise caught me off guard.
A2 She was taken off guard by the sudden change in plans.
B1 The unexpected question from the interviewer caught him off guard.
B2 The team's strategy caught their opponents off guard.
C1 The elaborate surprise party left her completely off guard.
C2 The intricate plot twist in the movie caught even the most seasoned viewers off guard.
formal The spy was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the enemy.
informal I was totally caught off guard by her unexpected visit.
slang I was so off guard when he showed up out of nowhere.
figurative The news of his resignation caught everyone off guard.
caught off guard
off guards
more off guard
most off guard
catches off guard
will catch off guard
have caught off guard
is catching off guard
off guard
off guard
to catch off guard
catching off guard
caught off guard