1
as in disgusting
to cause to feel disgust
that memorably bad meal turned me off about restaurant food for a while
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deviating
to change one's course or direction
turn off at the third exit and follow the ramp to your left
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in removing
to let go from office, service, or employment
eventually, the supervisor turned off the insubordinate employee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in shutting off
to cause to stop functioning
please turn off the fan when you're done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turning off
Duke recommends lowering thermostats, turning off unnecessary devices and not using major appliances such as washing machines, dryers and dishwashers during that time.
—
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2026
According to a report from the American Psychological Association, effective media guardrails that can improve your mental health include turning off all phone notifications, adding tech-free periods every day and limiting social media sessions to 15 minutes or less.
—Hunter Boyce, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
To reduce energy usage, customers should consider turning off unnecessary lights and appliances, adjusting thermostats to the lowest comfortable setting and wearing extra layers.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
Fire officials also recommend always turning off cooking appliances when not in use, never leaving cooking food unattended, maintaining a clutter-free area around all heat sources and investing in stove knob covers to prevent accidental activation — especially in households with children or pets.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Refrain from turning off a tenant’s water, electricity or gas.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2026
Drivers are currently turning off the self-driving feature to send a text, then turn it back on, Musk claimed, adding that doing so is less safe.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Part of that is price, which is turning off buyers.
—Kelly Evans, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
And the data collected by volunteers in DC has convinced some building managers to make changes, like turning off lights and putting treatments on some windows.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2026
According to a report from the American Psychological Association, effective media guardrails that can improve your mental health include turning off all phone notifications, adding tech-free periods every day and limiting social media sessions to 15 minutes or less.
—Hunter Boyce, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
To reduce energy usage, customers should consider turning off unnecessary lights and appliances, adjusting thermostats to the lowest comfortable setting and wearing extra layers.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
Fire officials also recommend always turning off cooking appliances when not in use, never leaving cooking food unattended, maintaining a clutter-free area around all heat sources and investing in stove knob covers to prevent accidental activation — especially in households with children or pets.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Refrain from turning off a tenant’s water, electricity or gas.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2026
Drivers are currently turning off the self-driving feature to send a text, then turn it back on, Musk claimed, adding that doing so is less safe.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Part of that is price, which is turning off buyers.
—Kelly Evans, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
And the data collected by volunteers in DC has convinced some building managers to make changes, like turning off lights and putting treatments on some windows.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning off
Verb
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Discharge Papers • Aw, The Pitt is back and happy to be disgusting again!—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lynyrd Skynyrd, for example, has made big business out of their summer amphitheater tours over the years, while Foreigner is deviating from their usual arena-forward approach this spring to travel with a symphony orchestra.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
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The show may change the happily ever afters of both leading ladies in Season 5 and Season 6, deviating from the Bridgerton books.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, footage showing federal agents killing Alex Pretti revealed the ICU nurse was holding a phone in his right hand, and an officer removing a gun from his back waistband before the shooting.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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In an effort to save Cathy, doctors place leeches over her body in hopes of removing the bad blood.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If the patient moves, the system can react instantly, shutting off the beam to help prevent harm to healthy tissue, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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When the construction project starts next year, the road into the basin will be closed, shutting off access to the area.—
Liz Teitz,
San Antonio Express-News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The program has focused on turning waste into artwork while raising awareness about how much plastic the community throws away.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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King then collided with the passenger side of 2015 GMC Terrain, which was headed north on Missouri 291 and turning west into a shopping center at Elizabeth Street, Mulch said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seattle defense, which nicknamed itself the Dark Side, lived in quarterback Drake Maye’s face, sacking him six times and harassing him into three turnovers.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Seattle swarmed quarterback Drake Maye all game, sacking him six times and forcing three turnovers, leaving New England scoreless through the first three quarters.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday morning, Russian planes dropped seven powerful glide bombs on Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, killing an 11-year-old girl and her mother, according to regional chief Vadym Filashkin.—
EMMA BURROWS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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Prosecutors say Brian Walton of Los Angeles was a stranger to Claudia Guevara, but he’s accused of killing the woman, then 23.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20off. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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