close off
phrasal verb
closed off; closing off; closes off
: to not allow (something) to be used for a period of time : close
The city closed off the beach to tourists.
Half of the museum was closed off while they made the changes.
—sometimes used figurativelyHe closes himself off to new experiences.
Examples of close off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some display areas are closed off for repairs, and big niches that once held priceless artworks are starkly blank.
—
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Thousands of Black college students expected this weekend for an annual spring bash at Georgia's largest public beach will be greeted by dozens of extra police officers and barricades closing off neighborhood streets.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
The boiler room, with its old mechanics still in evidence, is usually closed off to the public, except for special events.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2024
No caution tape closed off the patio outside the bar.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Today, only the two bedrooms are closed off from the rest of the house.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 10 Apr. 2024
Thus, in order to protect the interior from the harsh sunlight, balconies overlap the large sliding windows and the sides of the building are entirely closed off.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
It was not specified how long the area would be closed off and the agency did not provide further details.
—Dylan Wickman, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024
Critical junctures in a lineage act like one-way doors, opening up some possibilities while closing off other options for good.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Thousands of Black college students expected this weekend for an annual spring bash at Georgia's largest public beach will be greeted by dozens of extra police officers and barricades closing off neighborhood streets.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
The boiler room, with its old mechanics still in evidence, is usually closed off to the public, except for special events.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2024
No caution tape closed off the patio outside the bar.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Today, only the two bedrooms are closed off from the rest of the house.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 10 Apr. 2024
Thus, in order to protect the interior from the harsh sunlight, balconies overlap the large sliding windows and the sides of the building are entirely closed off.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
It was not specified how long the area would be closed off and the agency did not provide further details.
—Dylan Wickman, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024
Critical junctures in a lineage act like one-way doors, opening up some possibilities while closing off other options for good.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'close off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near close off
Cite this Entry
“Close off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20off. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
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