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
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Sources say Doomsday is exploding on long-lead tracking.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Time is ticking, and work is progressing to make sure the footprint of the draft is good to go, because the city is expected to host hundreds of thousands of people.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Smith told reporters at practice Wednesday that Kuzmenko was progressing in his rehab and would be reevaluated near the end of the regular season.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Also departing is Colin Davis, EVP Comedy Development at Sony Pictures Television Studios.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
-
This is the first time in the NIL era that a school and departing player sued each other.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Named after the infamous Japanese suicide pilots of World War II, these kinds of drones can actively hunt for targets, track them, and then ram into them, detonating their explosive payloads.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
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To kick-start the program, Teller wanted to create an instant harbor by burying, and then detonating, five thermonuclear bombs in an Indigenous village in coastal northwestern Alaska.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Even the Altitude Edition with the black wheels -- at the time no one was really doing that.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The authority on gardening in the South loved doing live shows and meeting his fans.—
Rodney Ho,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So insurers started exiting the market or stopped writing new policies, thus reducing competition.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
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Fray was seen holding his upper thigh area immediately after extending on a high kick to clear the ball just before exiting the game.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns, and neighbors screaming at more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns, and neighbors screaming at more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thao’s family alone.—
Mark Vancleave,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Stephen Curry scored 24 points, going 4 of 9 from 3-point range, to lead the Warriors, who finished at 37-45.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Eventually, the Bombers totaled eight hits, but left 12 on base while going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Going off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/going%20off. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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