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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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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Ponson had heard the lore of fast-developing storms in the northern Gulf — systems that escaped the notice of meteorologists — before exploding into near-gale winds, towering waves and rare but deadly storms.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
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But Explosive News’ videos might be the world’s most potent example of slopaganda yet, changing hearts and minds—or at least generating lots of clicks—one exploding toy battleship at a time.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After birth, human beings undergo infant and toddler development, moving on to child development before progressing to puberty and adolescence on the way to adulthood.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Times analysis showed that both communities were still progressing well behind the pace of Santa Rosa after the 2017 Tubbs fire, with about half as many permits issued in the Palisades as a percentage of those burned and two-thirds in Altadena in the same period.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Matts is departing the company, a Hallmark spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
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Tickets for flights departing later in April were up 24%, to $286, for the airline.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 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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Pretty soon people realized that some women had actually always been out there doing things.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Add into the mix consistent hand-washing, doing the dishes with harsh soaps, and something as mundane as getting gel nail polish cured with a UV light?—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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McBride, making a hustle play midway through the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, grabbed at the same area that required surgery just two months ago before exiting the game for good.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
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After swinging around the far side of the moon and exiting the lunar sphere of influence, three small burns will ensure Orion is on the right course for splashdown, with the last one occurring on the 10th day of the flight.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The city did not adopt its own grocery tax to replace it, blowing a roughly $80 million hole in its budget.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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Miller’s third save in three tries followed Adrian Morejón blowing his second one-run lead of the season, this time with help from a defensive gaffe.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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O’Leary continued that surge Saturday, going 4-for-4 with four singles, a walk and two runs as the Porters mounted a big rally before losing 8-7 to Joliet West in nine innings in the WJOL Tournament championship game at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
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Šilovs also allowed a goal in the first period that clanged off his mask before somehow going between his legs.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Going off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/going%20off. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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