1
: the act or action of cutting off
2
a
: the new and relatively short channel formed when a stream cuts through the neck of an oxbow
b
c
: a channel made to straighten a stream
3
: a device for cutting off
4
a
: something cut off
b
cutoffs plural
: shorts originally made from jeans with the legs cut off at the knees or higher
5
: the point, date, or period for a cutoff
cutoff
adjective
cut off; cutting off; cuts off
1
: to bring to an untimely end
Each one of those names reflects a life that was prematurely cut off …—
John Kerry
John Kerry2
: to stop the passage of
cut off communications
4
: discontinue, terminate
cut off a subscription
6
a
: disinherit
threatened to cut him off without a penny
b
: to refuse to serve (someone) more alcohol
The bartender cut them off.
7
a
: to stop the operation of : turn off
cut off the engine
b
: to stop or interrupt while in communication
the operator cut me off
: to cease operating
Examples of cutoff in a Sentence
Noun
a cutoff of the water supply
The cutoff for new applications is next Wednesday.
Verb
the majority party cut off debate and forced a vote on the bill
the dog cut off the one sheep that had to be sheared
Recent Examples on the Web
Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The abrupt cutoff exposed the fragility of long-term autism care and compelled her to envision a model that extended comprehensive care through the teenage years.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
A lot of the new arrivals are already badly malnourished, as aid provision has largely been cut off for their homes in northern Rakhine – where the military has been accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutoff
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Noun
Tokyo has pledged to reduce the reliance, but says an abrupt cutoff could threaten its energy security.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The abrupt cutoff exposed the fragility of long-term autism care and compelled her to envision a model that extended comprehensive care through the teenage years.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced $30 million in emergency food assistance for New Yorkers as the federal government shutdown threatens to cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for nearly 3 million residents.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
A lot of the new arrivals are already badly malnourished, as aid provision has largely been cut off for their homes in northern Rakhine – where the military has been accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cutoff
Cite this Entry
“Cutoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutoff. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cutoff
1 of 2 noun
cut·off
ˈkət-ˌȯf 
1
a
: the action of cutting off
b
: the point or date that cutting off occurs
2
: a device for cutting off
3
plural
: shorts made from jeans with the legs cut off short
cutoff
adjective
cut off
2 of 2 verbˌkət-ˈȯf
1
: to stop the flow or movement of
cut off a supply
2
: isolate
cut off from the world
3
: discontinue sense 2
they cut off relations with us
4
: to stop from talking
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