1
as in exploding
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 progressing
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 departing
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 going off
The footage shows an alarm going off on an iPhone, with a gray cat instantly jumping up and using its paws to turn it off.
—
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Kieran Culkin going off script to call out Sean Penn’s no-show — great gear.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
The same alarm that fired when Alex noticed he wasn’t included in lunch plans at work is now going off in a room full of strangers.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors also played several minutes of surveillance video from the facility, showing fireworks going off along the tree line next to the building.
—Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Republicans see these losses as alarms going off.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Where Dunk’s head is at, going off alone again.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Others, however, took issue with Kimmel’s comments immediately following Kirk’s assassination, and welcomed his show going off the air.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Kieran Culkin going off script to call out Sean Penn’s no-show — great gear.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
The same alarm that fired when Alex noticed he wasn’t included in lunch plans at work is now going off in a room full of strangers.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors also played several minutes of surveillance video from the facility, showing fireworks going off along the tree line next to the building.
—Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Republicans see these losses as alarms going off.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Where Dunk’s head is at, going off alone again.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Others, however, took issue with Kimmel’s comments immediately following Kirk’s assassination, and welcomed his show going off the air.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for going off
Verb
-
Both Monahon and Carroll are writing about transformation of the paradigm-exploding kind.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That is, until the union starts not-so-quietly exploding during a vicious screaming match at their home following a fundraising event.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Productivity actions are progressing well and mgmt.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
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Collier, who had surgery on her left ankle on March 24, is progressing through rehab as expected, the Lynx announced Monday.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump vowed to maintain a blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran refused to reach a deal; the effort has so far turned back 27 ships bound for or departing Iranian ports.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
In May, a new fiberoptic cable went online between Philadelphia and New York to improve telecommunications at the air traffic control facility that handles flights arriving and departing Newark Liberty International Airport, after a series of outages last year led to major delays.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two Massachusetts men have pleaded guilty to breaking into Harvard Medical School and detonating fireworks last Halloween night, a crime that caught the eye of FBI Director Kash Patel.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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And some advanced mines have counters that will let a certain number of ships pass before detonating.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Foo Fighters, pretty much the definition of a major international 21st century rock band, is doing a pop-up show in Bridgeport.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
What Laura is doing is really important, but other things are really important to her.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Across the continent, investors have long cited restrictive or opaque capital control regimes as a deterrent to large-scale commitment, particularly when repatriating profits or exiting investments is uncertain.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Rosenqvist’s three-second lead was erased when debris on the track exiting the Aquarium Fountain drew the only yellow flag all afternoon and narrowed the gap.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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This kind of build-up is unusual because volatile elements like sodium, which can get exposed after an object is blasted with micrometeorites, are usually later depleted by solar winds blowing from the sun and the general influence of space.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Klopp’s team, like Dalglish’s before him and Slot’s after, found the going much tougher the year after the German inspired what seven previous Liverpool managers could not, including Dalglish, who returned for 18 months in early 2011.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Fed’s going to have a lot of challenges in this economy going forward.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Going off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/going%20off. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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