kill switch
Americannoun
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a button, switch, or other mechanism that allows a machine to be shut down immediately.
Only use the kill switch in emergencies.
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Digital Technology. a command deployed to remotely lock, disable, or wipe an electronic device, as when the device is lost or stolen.
Etymology
Origin of kill switch
First recorded in 1950–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Thursday, two members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan bill requiring makers of the most powerful AI models to build in a kill switch -- a way to unplug a model outright.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Lieu said "it is imperative" that AI systems have a kill switch "and that the federal government has the clear authority and process to shut down rogue AI models".
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The most important reason Anthropic’s arrangement is less risky is its kill switch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Hence the one-year timeline for a kill switch should the bubble burst sooner than the stakeholders anticipate.
From Slate ● Apr. 16, 2026
Kabuo hit the kill switch beside the wheel.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
