off-guard

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off-guard

The question caught him completely off-guard.

Definition

Adjective 1. Not prepared or vigilant; in a state of being surprised or unready. This describes a moment when someone is not expecting something to happen and is therefore vulnerable to being surprised, tricked, or caught unprepared.

Usage

The adjective "off-guard" is almost always used after a linking verb like "be," "catch," or "find." It describes the state of the subject. * It is used to describe a person: He was off-guard. * It is commonly used with verbs like "catch" to indicate the action of surprising someone: The question caught her off-guard.

Examples
  • The sudden announcement about the merger caught the entire staff off-guard.
  • I'm sorry I reacted so sharply; your comment just found me off-guard.
  • Even the most experienced negotiators can be caught off-guard by an unexpected turn in the conversation.
  • The goalkeeper was off-guard for just a second, and the ball slipped into the net.
Advanced Usage
  • The phrase "catch someone off-guard" is a very common collocation meaning to surprise someone by doing or saying something they did not expect.
    • The interviewer's personal question caught the candidate completely off-guard.
  • The phrase "off one's guard" is a synonymous variant, though slightly less common in modern usage.
    • The detective was never off his guard, even when he appeared relaxed.
Variants and Related Words
  • Off one's guard: A synonymous phrase with identical meaning.
  • Unprepared (adj.): Not ready or planned in advance.
  • Unwary (adj.): Not cautious of possible dangers or problems.
Synonyms
  • Unprepared
  • Unready
  • Unwary
  • Surprised
  • Napping (informal)
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • With one's guard down: In a relaxed, unvigilant state. This is very similar in meaning to "off-guard."
    • He spoke honestly only when he was with his guard down.
  • Catch napping: To catch someone sleeping or, figuratively, unprepared. This is a close synonym to "catch off-guard."
    • The new competitor caught the market leader napping.
off-guard

The question caught him completely off-guard.

Adjective
  1. not prepared or vigilant
    • the blow caught him napping
    • caught in an off-guard moment
    • found him off his guard

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