1
as in ending
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the majority party cut off debate and forced a vote on the bill
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in separating
to set or keep apart from others
the dog cut off the one sheep that had to be sheared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cutting off
The war has closed the Strait of Hormuz, effectively cutting off one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies.
—
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
The war has inflicted damage on the UAE’s energy infrastructure and blocked oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a critical stream of dollar income.
—Maria Paula Mijares Torres, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
If this is the case, then cutting off the water supply to this waterfall — to fill a dam or for irrigation, which happens — could harm the fish.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
Retail connections faded as foot traffic disappeared, cutting off communication with buyers.
—J.m. Banks
march 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The United Arab Emirates is considering cutting off Iranian access to billions of dollars held in the Gulf state, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
And people very quickly begin to think about cutting off electricity, cutting off water, damage to their cities.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Timing Tips For Trimming And Pruning Spring-flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned immediately after blooming to encourage more blooms for reblooming plants or to avoid cutting off buds that have set for next year’s blooms.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Tax the billionaires to pay for our monthly healthcare and childcare costs, ban private equity firms from buying our homes, lower energy costs by cutting off wasteful bitcoin and AI data centers.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
The war has inflicted damage on the UAE’s energy infrastructure and blocked oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a critical stream of dollar income.
—Maria Paula Mijares Torres, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
If this is the case, then cutting off the water supply to this waterfall — to fill a dam or for irrigation, which happens — could harm the fish.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
Retail connections faded as foot traffic disappeared, cutting off communication with buyers.
—J.m. Banks
march 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The United Arab Emirates is considering cutting off Iranian access to billions of dollars held in the Gulf state, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
And people very quickly begin to think about cutting off electricity, cutting off water, damage to their cities.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Timing Tips For Trimming And Pruning Spring-flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned immediately after blooming to encourage more blooms for reblooming plants or to avoid cutting off buds that have set for next year’s blooms.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
Tax the billionaires to pay for our monthly healthcare and childcare costs, ban private equity firms from buying our homes, lower energy costs by cutting off wasteful bitcoin and AI data centers.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting off
Verb
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The Nats then went to the bullpen, ending his night at eight runs (four earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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But it was retrieved and Oaks Christian’s runner was tagged out at the plate trying to score, ending the game.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Charles’s timing makes the benefits of separating those roles more obvious.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
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The couple sat in a vestibule inside the Aurora immigration detention facility on a Saturday in March, staring at each other through the glass barrier separating the incarcerated from the free.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That led many to believe that, while treatments and crisis care are vital, the goal of suicide prevention needs to expand beyond stopping people from dying to also giving them reasons to live.—
Aneri Pattani,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Bain walked purposefully, never slowing, never stopping — not even to size himself up in his new Bucs hat in the mirror — before striding onstage for a hug with the commissioner.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 2022, authorities exhumed McBride’s body for additional DNA testing, a step New Jersey State Police said was critical to isolating an unknown male DNA profile from earlier evidence.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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The main attraction supported an Inter Miami break along the right wing, eventually isolating Rapids defender Lucas Herrington, 1-on-1, in the back of the box.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sam Brunson, a nonprofit law professor at Loyola University Chicago, told Fortune that as a general rule, a donor who dislikes how a charity later spends its money has no recourse beyond ceasing to donate.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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With this version of LIV Golf potentially ceasing to exist, and a potential player path back onto the PGA Tour a complete unknown, players could be scrambling to find their footing in the professional golf world for at least a brief period of time.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What was clear was that progress toward a universal theory of ultrafinitism has been halting in part because there has been no one clear motivation for the movement, or any singular approach to deciding what its underlying logic should look like.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
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Blue Owl was among the poster children of this phenomenon, halting quarterly redemptions in OBDC II in mid-February, and opting instead to return capital periodically through portfolio asset sales.—
Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Deep in the woods, a tree had fallen over a power line, blocking the road out of the canyon and effectively shutting off all of the electricity in the immediate area.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
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Companies could also consider shutting off access to their technology for certain time frames, Rae suggests.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Summer thunderstorms and winds easily topple large plants in small containers, breaking off plant parts and making a mess.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2026
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Many meteors originate from comets, breaking off as these celestial bodies approach the Sun, heating up and sprouting tails of dust and gas; this debris can fall into our atmosphere, manifesting as brilliant shooting stars.—
Sharon Adarlo,
Futurism,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cutting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20off. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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