cutting off

verb

present participle of cut off
1
as in ending
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the majority party cut off debate and forced a vote on the bill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in separating
to set or keep apart from others the dog cut off the one sheep that had to be sheared

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cutting off However, for many observers, including those in the UK, the moon will set shortly after maximum eclipse, cutting off the later stages of the partial phase. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Notable New polling for the IMEU Policy Project, conducted by YouGov, suggests that cutting off military aid to Israel is a popular position in the six states that will vote first in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026 With the sole funder of the breakaway circuit cutting off the money spigot, it was speculated that LIV, or at least the current version of it, would cease to exist beyond this year. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Beijing has a history of using economic coercion, like cutting off rare-earth exports or restricting market access, as a tool of foreign policy. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 One couple has racked up millions of views for their trailblazing short cut into the Costco parking lot, bypassing the entrance and four-wheeling over the curb and sidewalk, sometimes cutting off drivers about to pull into the vacant spot. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Republicans argued before the vote that cutting off the administration's ability to wage war now would tie their hands. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 23 July 2026 An 80-pound test fluorocarbon leader prevented the pike from cutting off. — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2026 Analysts note that Iran doesn’t need a huge inventory of drones and missiles to destabilize the region and keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, cutting off around 20% of the world’s pre-war oil supplies. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cutting off
  1. ending
  2. separating
  3. stopping
  4. isolating
  5. ceasing
  6. halting
  7. shutting off
  8. breaking off
Verb
  • Angels shortstop Zach Neto capped a 12-pitch at-bat in the eighth with a solo homer off Phillies reliever Jonathan Bowlan, tying the score 1-1 and ending a string of 30 consecutive innings without an extra-base hit for the Angels.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Sony has committed to ending production of new PlayStation discs starting in 2028, but Xbox has taken advantage of the negative sentiment around that, talking about game preservation with a new, rather cool, disc-to-digital system.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of ending
Verb
  • Set within its own natural lagoon on the southernmost tip of the Raa Atoll, the ocean stretches out as far as the eye can see, with hardly a blip separating sea, horizon, and sky.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • A couple years before that, the state began disaggregating data on Asian and Pacific Islanders, by separating Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander groups.
    — Sharon Udasin, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of separating
Verb
  • Dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors handle stopping duties, an important part of controlling a large fat-tire e-bike in traffic or on a downhill section.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Chiefs focused their defense on stopping Barkley, and, while he was limited to 57 rushing yards on 25 carries, that opened up things for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who completed 17 of 22 passes.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stopping
Verb
  • The individual was isolating, and officials were reaching out to anyone who had been exposed, the county health department said.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Existing defenses attempt to stop such attacks by wiping or isolating the processor’s prediction machinery before predictions are used.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of isolating
Verb
  • The country was defunding, de-staffing, and ceasing all negotiations with the organization.
    — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The gallery has not specified a timeline for ceasing operations there.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of ceasing
Verb
  • But the index has stayed within 2% of the peak, the pullbacks so far halting a handful of points above what had been the top of the former multi-month range.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Harris credited Aledo’s coaching staff for halting the Panthers' offense in the second half.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of halting
Verb
  • Dunleavy said the conditions did not meet the company’s internal standards for shutting off the lines.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Always prioritize safety by checking for electrical hazards and shutting off power to the affected area if needed.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of shutting off
Verb
  • Experts believe Wednesday's mudslides and flash flooding across Nepal and China's Tibet region were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The AccuWeather team will be looking for smaller storm cells breaking off of the main line, which would give them freedom to begin rotating and potentially spin off a tornado funnel.
    — Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of breaking off

Browse Nearby Words

cutting loose
cutting off
cutting out
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Cite this Entry

“Cutting off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cutting%20off. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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