1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
specialists were able to deactivate the bomb before it went off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to progress
to move forward along a course
the wedding went off without so much as a single glitch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to depart
to leave a place often for another
don't go off without telling us where we can find you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of go off
From sunrise until sunset, approximately 12 hours during the day, or until that alarm goes off, they’re not permitted to eat or drink anything.
—
Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Investigators determined that a group of friends had the gun and were playing with it right before the weapon went off, police said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2026
The puck went off the glass behind the net, bounced back onto the top of the net and rolled across the crossbar.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026
After the gun went off, the man went next door to check on the family, police said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for go off
Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Investigators determined that a group of friends had the gun and were playing with it right before the weapon went off, police said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2026
The puck went off the glass behind the net, bounced back onto the top of the net and rolled across the crossbar.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026
After the gun went off, the man went next door to check on the family, police said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for go off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for go off
Verb
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Sudan slid into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the militant group exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Nineteenth-century naval mines exploded on contact.—
Jon R. Lindsay,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The project has also progressed at an unusually rapid pace for American nuclear development.—
David Szondy
March 08,
New Atlas,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, the Legislature has moved slowly on many bills, with some debated at length and progressing through one chamber only to be stalled in the other.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After resolving debt and avoiding Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the always press-averse Ellison departed Hollywood right before the COVID-19 pandemic and largely stayed away for a number of years.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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Passengers who leave Austin before April 1 and return afterward will depart from the South Terminal but arrive back at the main terminal.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Lebanon and parts of Syria, Israel detonated thousands of pagers of Hezbollah officials and bombed the group’s headquarters in southern Beirut, killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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None of the devices were detonated, and nobody was injured.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, that advantage didn’t last long because Jalen Suggs drilled a 3-pointer five seconds later.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Opposition leaders like former Prime Ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, adjusting to the public mood, are doing Netanyahu’s international outreach for him.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Feeling unwell and still adjusting to the weekly grind of the ATP Tour, the Irvine native exited in the first round and quickly scratched it from his mind.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Vela headlines a group of three new limited partners joining LAFC’s ownership group, with two existing investors exiting the club, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Heat were up by as many as 28 points in the fourth quarter with Adebayo continuing to play pop-a-shot in the historic farce — which also moved him past LeBron James, whose 61 points in 2014 stood as Miami’s previous franchise record.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Still there’s an argument to be made that UCLA should be in the conversation for the top overall seed, especially after an eye-popping 51-point win over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game Sunday.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The assessment led analysts at the CIA, the State Department and the Pentagon all to advise the White House against proceeding with the operation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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The committee, which meets every three months, agreed to discuss at its next meeting whether to make Carlsbad or Oceanside the lead agency in obtaining the permits needed from government agencies as the project proceeds.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Go off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/go%20off. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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