pull the plug on

Idioms

Discontinue, end, as in The government pulled the plug on that program . [First half of 1900s]
Remove all life-supporting equipment, as in The family debated whether it was time to pull the plug on him . [Second half of 1900s] Although this idiom undoubtedly alludes to cutting off electricity to an electrical device, it originally referred to the removal of a stopper that flushed an old-style toilet.

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.

OpenAI is planning to pull the plug on its Sora video platform, a product it released to great fanfare last year that has since fallen from public view.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

If the face-off persists, that may just force enough viewers to pull the plug on Google.

From Slate • Nov. 10, 2025

Don’t pull the plug on your life here quite yet.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 7, 2025

But, you know, when you pull the plug on something like that, it’s hard for me.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025

I’m sorry, but she needs to pull the plug on this mess right now.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023