1
: a place where one turns off
especially
: exit sense 4
2
: one that causes loss of interest or enthusiasm
the music was a turnoff
3
: a turning off
turned off; turning off; turns off
1
: to stop the flow of or shut off by or as if by turning a control
turn the water off
2
: to cause to lose interest : bore
economics turns me off
also
: to evoke a negative feeling in
5
6
7
a
: to remove (material) by the process of turning
b
: to shape or produce by turning
1
: to deviate from a straight course or from a main road
turn off into a side road
3
: to lose interest : withdraw
Examples of turnoff in a Sentence
Noun
His strong cologne was a real turnoff.
Verb
that memorably bad meal turned me off about restaurant food for a while
turn off at the third exit and follow the ramp to your left
Recent Examples on the Web
Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Nearby, visitors heading northeast on the winding park road will find a turnoff to the campgrounds just south of the park’s eastern gate.
—Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
The Npr Network, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Wait, who turned off the engine?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turnoff
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Additionally, nearly nine in 10 singles said being handy is attractive and think leaving small DIY projects dangling or broken fixtures untreated is a turnoff.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Nearby, visitors heading northeast on the winding park road will find a turnoff to the campgrounds just south of the park’s eastern gate.
—Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Animal cams are considered nonessential and will be turned off for the remainder of the shutdown.
—The Npr Network, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Wait, who turned off the engine?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turnoff
Cite this Entry
“Turnoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turnoff. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
turnoff
1 of 2 noun
turn·off
ˈtər-ˌnȯf 
1
: a place where one turns off (as from a road)
2
: something that causes loss of interest or enjoyment
the music was a turnoff
turn off
2 of 2 verbˌtər-ˈnȯf,
ˈtər-
1
: to turn aside
turned off onto a side road
2
: to stop by or as if by turning a control
turn off the light
turn the alarm off
3
: to cause dislike or loss of interest
that sort of thing turns me off
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