Get off my back means “leave me alone”, “stop nagging me”. It is a sharp way to ask someone to stop criticising you, putting pressure on you or constantly telling you what to do. Literally, it means “climb off my back”. The tone is rather rude: you might say it to family in a moment of anger, but with a boss or teacher a neutral reply is better, for example Could you give me a bit more time?
When would you say get off my back?
Write a sentence — we'll check that the expression fits the situation and suggest what to fix.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
Get off my back!; get off someone's back (about + noun); be on someone's back (about + noun)
- I've already said I'll finish the report tonight, so please get off my back.
- My brother kept asking about my exam results until I told him to get off my back.
- I wish my landlord would get off my back about the tiny scratch on the door.
What changed
First versionI've already said I'll do it, so get off from my back!
RevisionI've already said I'll do it, so get off my back!
From may seem necessary because the idea is “move away from me”. But off already means “away from”, so a second preposition isn't needed: get off the bus, get off my back. Only from was removed in the correction.
Get off my back! is said directly to the person who is bothering you, and it sounds harsh. When complaining about someone to another person, people put it more softly: I wish my boss would get off my back. And if someone keeps nagging you about the same thing, use be on someone's back about something: My mum is always on my back about my diet.
Your turn
My flatmate reminds me to do the washing-up every ten minutes, so yesterday I finally told her to ___.
Show the answer
get off my back — Reminders every ten minutes are annoying, and the speaker asks the flatmate to stop nagging: get off my back. Watch my back means “protect me, make sure nobody harms me”, and nobody needs protecting here.
Think of someone who kept rushing you, criticising you or giving you unwanted advice: a colleague, a relative or a neighbour. Write what exactly this person kept saying and how you asked them to leave you alone.
My sister kept asking when I would find a better job, so I told her to get off my back.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.