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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of go off
From your point of view, having been there so long, was this going off the cliff in January?
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Like a neighbor who let the smoke alarm go off for a week at a time or a series of police visits in the middle of the night.
—
Olivia Bensimon,
Curbed,
17 June 2026
That’s when the lightbulb went off.
—
Matthew Huff,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
Now my child has gone off to college, kind of thing.
—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for go off
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Like a neighbor who let the smoke alarm go off for a week at a time or a series of police visits in the middle of the night.
—
Olivia Bensimon,
Curbed,
17 June 2026
That’s when the lightbulb went off.
—
Matthew Huff,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
Now my child has gone off to college, kind of thing.
—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for go off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for go off
Verb
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Online sales boomed and Nekhala said his business exploded.
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Software engineers have arguably been the first class of workers to see the technology upend their jobs, as programming tools like Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex have exploded in popularity.
Verb
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As the disease progresses, muscles throughout the body can become rigid and go into painful spasms.
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As things progressed, sources say the studio brought in Reeves’ Toy Story 4 director to pitch his vision, which eventually led to Reeves thumbs up to star in the film.
Verb
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The students are scheduled to depart next Wednesday.
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After Witt departed, the Royals continued to pile on runs against the Cardinals’ pitching staff.
Verb
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In one video a drone runs into protective netting at least 50 feet above the target and detonating prematurely.
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Between 1946 and 1958, the United States military detonated 67 nuclear bombs around the island, raising questions about their lasting impact on marine life.
Verb
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Events already relocating elsewhere Davis said the delay has already forced nine events to move and could push as many as 30 more to do the same in 2030.
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It’s meant to go with the flow of kids’ pacing, which may mean spending a whole hour at a splash pad or being done after just a few experiences.
Verb
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After driving on the 5 Freeway for nearly an hour, the suspect exited the freeway onto Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake.
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This means that the tankers and cargo ships trapped in the Persian Gulf since March be able to exit, although shipping giants predict that the ships won’t actually pass through the Strait for some time.
Verb
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The Guardians loaded the bases with two outs in the inning but Burke induced Brayan Rocchio to pop out.
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Informal Beyblade battles are popping up in strangest of places, with players huddling in parks, gyms and shopping malls.
Verb
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For example, data center developers sued Saline Township, Michigan, and Chatham County, North Carolina, seeking to overturn their local zoning decisions, to be able to proceed with data center construction.
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Kopercinski proceeded to go the distance, working a perfect seventh and ending with 113 pitches.
Cite this Entry
“Go off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/go%20off. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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