1
as in exploded
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
2
as in progressed
to move forward along a course
the wedding went off without so much as a single glitch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in departed
to leave a place often for another
don't go off without telling us where we can find you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of went off
Two people died early Sunday when a speeding SUV went off a freeway interchange in South County and landed in the Sweetwater River, authorities said.
—
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Mair missed a 3 from the corner with 5 seconds to play for Duke, but the Blue Devils retained possession after the ball went off an LSU player.
—Joe Davidson
march 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Sirens went off around Israel’s southern city of Beersheba and near Israel’s main nuclear research center as Iran and Hezbollah fired on Israel overnight.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The car went off course and crashed into the wall, rear-end first.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
At one point near the end, a patron’s cell phone went off, further disrupting the screening.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
After Los Angeles controlled play in the 3-on-3 overtime and nearly ended it on Alex Laferriere's shot that went off the right post, Kevin Stenlund won a faceoff against Quinton Byfield to set up Schmaltz's seventh winning goal of the season.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
MacKinnon got the puck to Nichushkin, who went right to the net but laid it off to Necas in the left circle for a one-timer that went off Chicago goalie Arvid Söderblom’s shoulder and across the goal line.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Lecomte Stakes winner Golden Tempo, which went off at 3-1, made a late bid to the inside with Jose Ortiz aboard and finished third.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Mair missed a 3 from the corner with 5 seconds to play for Duke, but the Blue Devils retained possession after the ball went off an LSU player.
—Joe Davidson
march 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Sirens went off around Israel’s southern city of Beersheba and near Israel’s main nuclear research center as Iran and Hezbollah fired on Israel overnight.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The car went off course and crashed into the wall, rear-end first.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
At one point near the end, a patron’s cell phone went off, further disrupting the screening.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
After Los Angeles controlled play in the 3-on-3 overtime and nearly ended it on Alex Laferriere's shot that went off the right post, Kevin Stenlund won a faceoff against Quinton Byfield to set up Schmaltz's seventh winning goal of the season.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
MacKinnon got the puck to Nichushkin, who went right to the net but laid it off to Necas in the left circle for a one-timer that went off Chicago goalie Arvid Söderblom’s shoulder and across the goal line.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Lecomte Stakes winner Golden Tempo, which went off at 3-1, made a late bid to the inside with Jose Ortiz aboard and finished third.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for went off
Verb
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An asteroid the size of a house exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk with the force of 440,000 tons of TNT, damaging buildings and injuring more than 1,600 people, according to NASA.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Usually, the fire department starts the program in late April or May, but because of all the weather whiplash the area has seen over the past few months, vegetation has exploded and left many yards and properties with fire hazards.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jerkins’ family operation included his cousin, Robert Smith, known as Big Bert, with whom Brandy began a clandestine relationship as the recording progressed.—
Jackson Howard,
Pitchfork,
29 Mar. 2026
-
By now, the space was packed, and conversation progressed at shouting volumes.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chosen as the replacement to the game mid at-bat with a runner on first base when Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton departed in the second inning, Rea had to get ready on the fly.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The chief communications officer role at OpenAI has remained vacant since Hannah Wong departed earlier this year.—
Alyson Shontell,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sources said the device was dangerous, but not sophisticated enough to be detonated remotely.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The bomb squad moved it to a desert area, where it was detonated, according to police.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday, nor did HUD officials.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The two men then said Smollett paid them to stage the attack, and Smollett was charged with filing a false police report; the charges were later dropped after Smollett paid a fine and did community service.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The contest was delayed for about 10 minutes in the fourth after plate umpire Ron Kulpa exited due to taking a foul ball off his mask.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Michael Lorenzen took the mound with conviction to be part of the solution at Coors Field, and exited in disgrace.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The gang wars, along with the self-defense groups that have popped up in response, have turned the region into a hotbed of terror for rural farmers.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Protests popped up in all 50 states and even appeared overseas as far as Italy, France, Germany and Spain.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Burgett then proceeded to yell at both police and the store clerk, who had followed him out, prosecutors said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Levin proceeded to advocate for US escalation in Iran.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Went off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/went%20off. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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