close off

phrasal verb

closed off; closing off; closes off
: to not allow (something) to be used for a period of time : close
The city closed off the beach to tourists.
Half of the museum was closed off while they made the changes.
sometimes used figuratively
He closes himself off to new experiences.

Examples of close off in a Sentence

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Dozens of law enforcement officers remained on the scene as of midnight, and a portion of Northwest 17th Avenue had been closed off to the public for over four hours. Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025 Crime scene tape closed off the area for hours as detectives searched for evidence. CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025 Thanks to their courage, the path back to democratic rule, competent policymaking, and consistent foreign engagement is not yet closed off. Ekrem Imamoglu, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2025 Syria was closed off to us for so long. Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close off

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Cite this Entry

“Close off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20off. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

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