go off
verb
went off; gone off; going off; goes off
1
a
: explode
b
of a gun
: shoot sense 1
2
: to burst forth or break out suddenly or noisily
3
: to go forth, out, or away : leave
went off to join the army
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
7
: to stop working
All the lights suddenly went off.
see also go off the deep end, go off with
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
The closing scene, in which the four embrace as fireworks go off, punctuates all of this onscreen thinking with external action to match.
—
Niela Orr, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Sierra did not immediately flee from the scene but instead drove a short distance and stayed there until multiple smoke alarms could be heard going off inside Pickett's apartment building, per a timeline assembled by police in the complaint, based on surveillance video.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
But a replay showed that the ball was bobbled multiple times, went off Bryant and finally landed in the hands of Wilson for the touchdown.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
But on 4th and 3, a pass in the flat from quarterback Jcoryon Rivers went off the fingertips of an open Leon Wood, turning the ball over on downs.
—Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for go off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Niela Orr, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Sierra did not immediately flee from the scene but instead drove a short distance and stayed there until multiple smoke alarms could be heard going off inside Pickett's apartment building, per a timeline assembled by police in the complaint, based on surveillance video.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
But a replay showed that the ball was bobbled multiple times, went off Bryant and finally landed in the hands of Wilson for the touchdown.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
But on 4th and 3, a pass in the flat from quarterback Jcoryon Rivers went off the fingertips of an open Leon Wood, turning the ball over on downs.
—Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for go off
Cite this Entry
“Go off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20off. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share