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
Across town, the Elk River could surround CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, cutting off all exits.
—
CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Advertisement In filmmaker Tobe Hooper's slasher classic, chainsaw-wielding Leatherface's penchant for cutting off his victims' faces and wearing them as masks was apparently inspired by Gein's own macabre habits.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The oppressive rule has led to nations cutting off aid, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
In 1999 and 2000, new offerings swamped the market's ability to absorb it, cutting off the flow of IPO proceeds to Internet companies that were meant to be the revenues of bigger tech companies.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2025
Each genetic tweak, while different, ultimately silenced alb1, cutting off melanin production and leaving the mold white.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
After Skydio sold drones to Taiwan, Beijing retaliated last year by cutting off the company’s access to Chinese batteries, prompting the company to ration them to only one per drone.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It had been made for Williamson but was cutting off Bronze’s circulation.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The Ewpjdk 4-Pack Garden Pruning Shears come with four pruning shears for the price of one and are versatile enough to take on all kinds of fall pruning tasks, like harvesting, clipping, deadheading, and cutting off the final fruits of the season, before winter comes.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Advertisement In filmmaker Tobe Hooper's slasher classic, chainsaw-wielding Leatherface's penchant for cutting off his victims' faces and wearing them as masks was apparently inspired by Gein's own macabre habits.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
The oppressive rule has led to nations cutting off aid, leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
In 1999 and 2000, new offerings swamped the market's ability to absorb it, cutting off the flow of IPO proceeds to Internet companies that were meant to be the revenues of bigger tech companies.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2025
Each genetic tweak, while different, ultimately silenced alb1, cutting off melanin production and leaving the mold white.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
After Skydio sold drones to Taiwan, Beijing retaliated last year by cutting off the company’s access to Chinese batteries, prompting the company to ration them to only one per drone.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
It had been made for Williamson but was cutting off Bronze’s circulation.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
The Ewpjdk 4-Pack Garden Pruning Shears come with four pruning shears for the price of one and are versatile enough to take on all kinds of fall pruning tasks, like harvesting, clipping, deadheading, and cutting off the final fruits of the season, before winter comes.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting off
Verb
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Slated to be the Lions’ top reserve cornerback this season, Rakestraw was placed on season-ending IR in August.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Air traffic controllers played a key role in ending the last government shutdown, which stretched on for 35 days, from December 2018 to January 2019.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The first and fifth-place finishes pushed Mercedes further ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings, a 25-point gap separating the two.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Poehler and Arnett welcomed two children together, sons Archie and Abel, before separating in 2012 and finalizing their divorce in 2016.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That suit, which Lukenbill’s attorneys Brad Carroll and Michael Laino filed July 11, was primarily concerned with stopping efforts by the city to limit occupancy at the bar.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Chappell Roan’s new hair color Based on reviews of the New York shows, KC audiences should expect show-stopping moments, a new hair color for the famous redhead, an emotional speech of thanks and perhaps a special guest.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Freelancing can feel isolating, especially when you’re used to having coworkers and a structured office environment.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
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Whether isolating public officials for harassment, doxing, intimidation, and ultimately attempted assassination, it is all carefully planned, executed and thought through.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The site must be decommissioned within 60 years of the plant ceasing operations.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
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The university also asks the court to order online marketplaces, payment processors and other companies that do business with the defendants from disabling and ceasing to provide services.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The year Goldberg-Polin and her family arrived in Israel, the country launched Operation Cast Lead, a massive military operation aimed at halting intensifying Hamas mortar, missile and rocket fire terrorizing southern Israeli communities.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Attorneys for the Justice Department argued that halting the reallocations could delay distributing the funds to other states DHS had identified as higher priority under its new approach.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Burton is one of over a dozen people who have been arrested on suspicion of helping the escapees, including another inmate in the jail and a jail maintenance worker who is accused of shutting off water to the toilet allowing escapees to remove it.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 Oct. 2025
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Although SoCal Edison can prevent electrical fires by shutting off the power that flows through the lines, the utility did not turn the power off to most circuits that power Altadena.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lopez and Affleck, one of the quintessential pop culture couples of the early 2000s, famously rekindled their romance in 2021 and wed the following year, two decades after breaking off their first engagement in late 2002.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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After breaking off the engagement, Cochran said, Glison had moved to the apartment complex to get away from him.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cutting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20off. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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