1
: the act or action of cutting off
2
a
: the new and relatively short channel formed when a stream cuts through the neck of an oxbow
b
c
: a channel made to straighten a stream
3
: a device for cutting off
4
a
: something cut off
b
cutoffs plural
: shorts originally made from jeans with the legs cut off at the knees or higher
5
: the point, date, or period for a cutoff
cutoff
adjective
cut off; cutting off; cuts off
1
: to bring to an untimely end
Each one of those names reflects a life that was prematurely cut off …—
John Kerry
John Kerry2
: to stop the passage of
cut off communications
4
: discontinue, terminate
cut off a subscription
6
a
: disinherit
threatened to cut him off without a penny
b
: to refuse to serve (someone) more alcohol
The bartender cut them off.
7
a
: to stop the operation of : turn off
cut off the engine
b
: to stop or interrupt while in communication
the operator cut me off
: to cease operating
Examples of cutoff in a Sentence
Noun
a cutoff of the water supply
The cutoff for new applications is next Wednesday.
Verb
the majority party cut off debate and forced a vote on the bill
the dog cut off the one sheep that had to be sheared
Recent Examples on the Web
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
However, the finale — along with the eighth and ninth installments of the 10-episode season — missed the strict May 31 cutoff and, thus, will roll over for various categories next year.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
ABC News, 17 June 2026
But a wartime spike in energy prices has pushed rate cuts off the table for now.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cutoff
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The 29-year-old has arrived at Rolling Stone’s office in distressed cutoff denim shorts and custom boots self-designed to look like she’s been trekking through sludge à la Kate Moss at Glastonbury 2005.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
However, the finale — along with the eighth and ninth installments of the 10-episode season — missed the strict May 31 cutoff and, thus, will roll over for various categories next year.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Verb
Protesters blocked copper exports from a huge Rio Tinto mine in Mongolia on Wednesday, partially cutting off the supply of a mineral vital to China’s renewable energy ambitions.
—ABC News, 17 June 2026
But a wartime spike in energy prices has pushed rate cuts off the table for now.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cutoff
Cite this Entry
“Cutoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutoff. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cutoff
1 of 2 noun
cut·off
ˈkət-ˌȯf 
1
a
: the action of cutting off
b
: the point or date that cutting off occurs
2
: a device for cutting off
3
plural
: shorts made from jeans with the legs cut off short
cutoff
adjective
cut off
2 of 2 verbˌkət-ˈȯf
1
: to stop the flow or movement of
cut off a supply
2
: isolate
cut off from the world
3
: discontinue sense 2
they cut off relations with us
4
: to stop from talking
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