as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity
the utility company threatened them with the shutoff of electricity if the bills weren't paid
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
threatened to shut off peace talks if the other side kept making unreasonable demands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to kill
to cause to stop functioning
shut off the computer to save electricity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shutoff
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
The images have made it to social media and independent news outlets, highlighting the severity of the impact the Trump administration’s shutoff of oil shipments to the island — and the government’s resistance to any change — on average Cubans.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Julie Sharp, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Nguyen McNeill said employees are unable to pay their utility bills and their services are being shut off as a result.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutoff
Noun
Although the wind forecast sparked concerns about widespread power outages among utility providers, most Front Range companies reported limited power cuts, especially compared with the sweeping public safety power shutoffs that hit tens of thousands of Front Range customers in December.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
The images have made it to social media and independent news outlets, highlighting the severity of the impact the Trump administration’s shutoff of oil shipments to the island — and the government’s resistance to any change — on average Cubans.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Public Works crews responded immediately and worked overnight to isolate and shut off the affected saltwater line.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Nguyen McNeill said employees are unable to pay their utility bills and their services are being shut off as a result.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shutoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shutoff
Noun
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The deaths mark the second fatal incident in two days involving the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, a peacekeeping force established in 1978 and which later monitored cessation of hostilities between the two nations.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Washington wants a complete cessation of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Yankees went a perfect 5-for-5 with ABS challenges in Monday’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Mariners, but that didn’t stop Boone and company from barking at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And years later, when the group splintered into increasingly militant factions, some took part in a disastrous bank robbery that killed an innocent guard and two police officers—three men who were just doing their jobs that day, and who left behind their own kids, their own families.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Three people were killed when a tour helicopter broke apart near Honolulu in April 2019, and that December seven people died - including three children - when one crashed in turbulent weather near the famed Na Pali Coast.—
JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
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About 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the narrow strait, and the recent halt in shipping impacts the wider economy, raising expectations of higher inflation.—
Alison Saldanha,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Under the emergency order, the school must immediately cease operations and may not provide massage education services in Texas unless otherwise authorized.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Your intelligence, your generosity, your courage, and your great sensitivity never cease to move me.—
Yi-Jin Yu,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The mixer uses an EBI braking system that recovers up to 30% of energy.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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Larger tires increase rotational inertia and lengthen the lever arm between hub and road, forcing the braking system to work harder.—
Bryan Rogala,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell and his staff felt Shota Imanaga’s preparation in Arizona provided the perfect platform to bounce back from a rocky ending to 2025.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s also jointly ended their partnership in July 2025 after finding the venture financially unsustainable, leading to over $50 million in charges for the doughnut company.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
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Copper fell along with other base metals as investors monitored the uncertainty surrounding US-Iran negotiations to possibly end the war.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shutoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shutoff. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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