going off

present participle of go off
1
as in exploding
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure specialists were able to deactivate the bomb before it went off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of going off Two months after Clint's death, Chelsey started reaching out to government officials to find ways to raise awareness about the dangers of going off-trail. Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026 Entertainment Weekly broke the news in April that the DC Comics character would first appear in My Adventures with Superman season 3 before going off to headline her own Green Lantern spinoff. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026 Despite there only being four events left on LIV's calendar for the year, a recent report from Front Office Sports has added speculation of those four events going off unscathed. Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026 The Seahawks won those shootouts, but that was mostly due to their special teams whipping the Rams and their offense going off, especially in the Super Bowl qualifier. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026 Think more even heat, better tasting meals, and less chance of smoke detectors going off mid-dinner, among other benefits. Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 6 May 2026 The footage shows an alarm going off on an iPhone, with a gray cat instantly jumping up and using its paws to turn it off. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026 But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026 The same alarm that fired when Alex noticed he wasn’t included in lunch plans at work is now going off in a room full of strangers. Big Think, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for going off
Verb
  • Flashes from exploding drones and missiles lit up the night, and loud booms echoed through Kyiv.
    Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • As SkyCal flew towards Huntington Park, dozens of rounds of fireworks were seen exploding over parts of Los Angeles, just minutes after the whistles blew in Estadio Azteca, surpassing the Round of 32 for the first time since 2018.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • With a deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney also progressing well, their summer business is ramping up.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Johnson used eye-tracking technology to speak about how the fast-progressing disease has stolen his physical strength, even as his mind remains sharp.
    Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The model, 31, was seen departing for the ceremony with boyfriend Bradley Cooper, 51.
    Morgan Evans, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Celebrations began Friday evening and stretched into the early hours of Saturday morning, with stars like Reese Witherspoon, Emma Stone and Paul Rudd seen departing the venue.
    Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • In one video a drone runs into protective netting at least 50 feet above the target and detonating prematurely.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Investigators found that Aliji intended to drive a Volkswagen Beetle equipped with fake police sirens and flashing blue lights toward crowds outside the venue before detonating explosives concealed inside a Red Bull can.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • The young man was doing LeBron James’ silencer celebration after scoring a goal one moment and being tagged with soccer’s equivalent of a Flagrant 2 the next — because of how one moment was assessed on tape delay.
    Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The city’s police department will be doing safety checks in the area as well.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Asian national teams largely disappointed at the World Cup, with most exiting after the group stage, a stark contrast to African teams' historic success.
    Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The Ada County Coroner’s Office identified 65-year-old Dawn Hettinger of Nampa as the woman killed after exiting her vehicle on westbound Interstate 84 about 20 miles east of Boise.
    Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Technically, officials said, blowing past the deadline means Alameda County is no longer in exclusive negotiations with the Oakland Acquisition Company.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • But rather than cede ground to an outsider, the town's residents plant TNT in every single structure, blowing them up before Lassiter can get his hands on them.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • But gooey emotions are still not going to stop Navy vet Everett from going action-hero, as seen in the finale trailer.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • For instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been politically weakened by the Iran war’s major objectives going unfulfilled.
    Will Weissert, Fortune, 2 July 2026

Cite this Entry

“Going off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/going%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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