go off

verb

went off; gone off; going off; goes off

intransitive verb

1

: explode

2

: to burst forth or break out suddenly or noisily

3

: to go forth, out, or away : leave

4

: to undergo decline or deterioration

5

: to follow the expected or desired course : proceed

the party went off well

6

: to make a characteristic noise : sound

could hear the alarm going off

Phrases

go off the deep end

1

: to enter recklessly on a course

2

: to become very much excited

Synonyms

• explode
• detonate
• pop
• blow
• burst

Examples of go off in a Sentence

specialists were able to deactivate the bomb before it went off

the wedding went off without so much as a single glitch

Recent Examples on the Web

Throughout the game, Biles posted photos of herself in the suite along with pictures and videos of fireworks going off during the national anthem. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Prosecutors played video clips that showed Molotov cocktails going off and a figure inside and outside the residence. —CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025

Prosecutors played video clips in court that showed Molotov cocktails going off and a figure inside and outside the residence. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for go off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

go off

verb

1

: explode sense 2b

2

: to burst forth or break out suddenly or noisily

3

: to take place : proceed

the dance went off as planned