write off - Definition & Meaning

write off

Third Person

writes off

Present Participle

writing off

Past Tense

wrote off

Past Participle

written off

to consider someone or something as having no value or importance

transitive

Despite our high hopes, we had to write off the initiative as unsuccessful.
The committee had no choice but to write off the experiment as a setback.
The manager quickly wrote the proposal off as unrealistic.
After working for six months, we eventually wrote off the project as a non-starter.
After several unsuccessful attempts, they wrote off the idea as unfeasible.

to send a letter to a company or organization with the purpose of asking for specific goods or information

transitive

The job applicant wrote off the company requesting additional details about the position.
He wrote off the airline to get more information about their frequent flyer program.
The customer wrote off the store inquiring about the return policy.
The student wrote off the university asking for scholarship opportunities.
I'll write the hotel off to get more information about room availability.

to keep an official record of money spent for business and reduce the amount of taxes paid

transitive

They decided to write off marketing expenses to optimize their financial position.
You can write off office supplies as part of your tax deductions.
The company will write off research and development costs to improve its financial outlook.
The small business owner plans to write the technology upgrades off this fiscal year.
You can write the office supplies off as legitimate business expenses.

Synonyms:

to eliminate a debt, acknowledging that it is no longer owed

transitive

The bank decided to write the loan off after the borrower faced unexpected financial hardship.
The lender agreed to write off the mortgage debt for the family facing foreclosure.
Due to the economic downturn, the business had to write some outstanding debts off to survive.
The company chose to write the outstanding invoice off as a gesture of goodwill toward the long-time client.

to cause such severe damage to a vehicle that it becomes irreparable and no longer usable

transitive

During their road trip, the group borrowed a camper van and nearly wrote it off in a minor collision.
The hurricane's impact wrote off numerous cars along the coastal area.
The teenager secretly borrowed his sister's bicycle and wrote it off after colliding with a tree.
The reckless driver wrote off his motorcycle in a high-speed collision last month