1
as in ending
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
threatened to shut off peace talks if the other side kept making unreasonable demands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turning off
to cause to stop functioning
shut off the computer to save electricity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 shutting off
Smart power strips can help reduce energy waste by automatically shutting off devices not in use.
—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Tehran cemented its grip on the Strait of Hormuz; a few more tankers managed to pass through in the last few days, albeit only by either negotiating in advance with Iran, or by shutting off their transponders and racing through.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Don’t try to handle a squatter yourself by changing locks, hauling out belongings or shutting off utilities — Texas law treats that as a self-help eviction and can backfire if the person turns out to have tenant rights, making court eviction the required route in landlord-tenant cases.
—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Over a dozen people were arrested on suspicion of helping the escapees, including another inmate in the jail and a jail maintenance worker who is accused of shutting off water to the toilet, allowing escapees to remove it.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Their farewell message was accompanied by video of an employee shutting off the lights at the 7th Street location one last time.
—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Deep in the woods, a tree had fallen over a power line, blocking the road out of the canyon and effectively shutting off all of the electricity in the immediate area.
—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
Companies could also consider shutting off access to their technology for certain time frames, Rae suggests.
—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
If someone becomes trapped by suction, shutting off the pump can release the pressure immediately.
—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Tehran cemented its grip on the Strait of Hormuz; a few more tankers managed to pass through in the last few days, albeit only by either negotiating in advance with Iran, or by shutting off their transponders and racing through.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Don’t try to handle a squatter yourself by changing locks, hauling out belongings or shutting off utilities — Texas law treats that as a self-help eviction and can backfire if the person turns out to have tenant rights, making court eviction the required route in landlord-tenant cases.
—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Over a dozen people were arrested on suspicion of helping the escapees, including another inmate in the jail and a jail maintenance worker who is accused of shutting off water to the toilet, allowing escapees to remove it.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Their farewell message was accompanied by video of an employee shutting off the lights at the 7th Street location one last time.
—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Deep in the woods, a tree had fallen over a power line, blocking the road out of the canyon and effectively shutting off all of the electricity in the immediate area.
—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
Companies could also consider shutting off access to their technology for certain time frames, Rae suggests.
—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
If someone becomes trapped by suction, shutting off the pump can release the pressure immediately.
—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shutting off
Verb
-
And a whistle was called for offside, ending the counterattack.
-
But that era is ending because memory is becoming the bottleneck.
Verb
-
In a tropical climate, turning off the AC backfires, because the energy needed to drag the room temperature back down on return is greater than the energy saved.
-
Grid failure doesn’t just mean the lights turning off, Straubel said.
Verb
-
Technology led to the suspect's arrest Officers obtained doorbell camera footage, which showed a silver SUV stopping along a curb on Majors Choice Drive.
-
Its compact size and functional interior and exterior pockets will make zipping through airport security or stopping for gas on road trips a breeze — no more digging through disorganized totes to locate your wallet and phone.
Verb
-
Murdaugh, once a powerful personal injury attorney in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, was convicted in 2023 of killing his wife, Maggie, 52, and their younger son, Paul, 22, at the family’s hunting estate in June 2021.
-
Shiite and Sunni Muslims have been killing each other for centuries, and the status of women in some Muslims countries is deplorable.
Verb
-
Kraken, one of the oldest crypto exchanges in the global industry, is ceasing on World Cup fever and drawing parallels between soccer fans and ‘hodlers’ in their promotions.
-
While this weekend was about celebration, the recent announcement that another USL SL club, the Spokane Zephyr, is ceasing operations after just two seasons, put the overall plans for the league’s growth in question.
Verb
-
The system uses a three-level braking architecture that combines retarder braking, electric braking, and mechanical braking to improve safety during operation under demanding mining conditions.
-
If modern vehicles are so reliant on software for everything from displaying driving speeds to braking in some models, free OTA software updates could save drivers the hassle of bringing their cars into an authorized dealer for repairs.
Verb
-
On Friday, Russian authorities in Crimea announced a state of emergency after halting all fuel sales to civilians in response to Ukrainian attacks earlier in the week.
-
It was also reworded to clarify Apollo is not halting all redemption requests.
Verb
-
On his best nights, when the velocity and command combine, Sasaki blows past batters with a triple-digit fastball and cutting off-speed pitches.
-
Instead, candidates’ positions on Israel and Gaza, like pledging to cosponsor legislation cutting off some weapons to Israel, are emerging as more of a credibility test, progressives said.
Cite this Entry
“Shutting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shutting%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
