turn off

British  

verb

1. to leave (a road, pathway, etc)

2. (of a road, pathway, etc) to deviate from (another road, etc)

3. (tr, adverb) to cause (something) to cease operating by turning a knob, pushing a button, etc

   to turn off the radio

4. informal (tr) to cause (a person, etc) to feel dislike or distaste for (something)

   this music turns me off

5. informal (tr, adverb) to dismiss from employment

---

noun

1. a road or other way branching off from the main thoroughfare

2. informal a person or thing that elicits dislike or distaste

turn off Idioms  

1. Stop the operation, activity, or flow of; shut off, as in Turn off the lights when you leave . [Mid-1800s]

2. Affect with dislike, revulsion, or boredom; cause to lose interest. For example, That vulgar comedian turned us off completely , or The movie was all right for an hour or so, but then I was turned off . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

---

Example Sentences

Macleod agrees: "Turn off torches and car headlights, and stop looking at your phone because the light from the screen can affect your eyes acclimatising and adjusting to the total darkness."

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Turn off all but one light, so you’ll know when the power is back without risking a surge.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2025

Turn off the nightly news if it’s stressing you and try reading things that have a more in-depth look and critical analysis of problems, so you are not basing your assumptions on emotional reasoning.

From Salon • Oct. 26, 2023

“Mel, I want you to shut down. Turn off everything but the dictation app.”

From Slate • Sep. 30, 2023

Turn off the electrical charges and everything crumbles to an invisible fine dust.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• alienate
• bore
• irritate
• offend