switch off
phrasal verb
switched off; switching off; switches off
1
: to turn off (something) by turning or pushing a button or moving a switch, lever, etc.
He switched off the light/lamp.
He switched the TV off.
2
informal
: to stop paying attention
When the topic turned to the stock market, he switched off.
Examples of switch off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For leaders, these signals should prompt constructive conversations about the importance of switching off.
—
Alliance Manchester Business School, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The plane’s transmitter was switched off when it was positioned about 50 miles off the Andaman Islands.
—Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
When the spacecraft fly over radio-quiet antenna arrays, tuned to listen for the quietest radio waves coming from distant galaxies, the noise from the satellites' internal electronics obscures some of the precious observation frequencies even when Earth-facing internet beams are switched off.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
When the voltage is switched off, the excitons flow again.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for switch off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alliance Manchester Business School, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The plane’s transmitter was switched off when it was positioned about 50 miles off the Andaman Islands.
—Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
When the spacecraft fly over radio-quiet antenna arrays, tuned to listen for the quietest radio waves coming from distant galaxies, the noise from the satellites' internal electronics obscures some of the precious observation frequencies even when Earth-facing internet beams are switched off.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
When the voltage is switched off, the excitons flow again.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for switch off
Cite this Entry
“Switch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switch%20off. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share