sign-off
noun
the act or fact of signing off.
sign-off
American
[sahyn-awf, -of]
/ ˈsaɪnˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
Or
signoff
noun
-
the act or fact of signing off.
-
personal approval or authorization; endorsement.
sign off
British
verb
-
(intr) to announce the end of a radio or television programme, esp at the end of a day
-
(intr) bridge to make a conventional bid indicating to one's partner that one wishes the bidding to stop
-
(tr) to withdraw or retire from (an activity)
-
(tr) (of a doctor) to declare (someone) unfit for work, because of illness
-
(intr) to terminate one's claim to unemployment benefit
sign off
Idioms
-
Announce the end of a communication, especially a broadcast. For example, There's no one there now; the station has signed off for the night . [c. 1920]
-
Stop talking, become silent, as in Every time the subject of marriage came up, Harold signed off . [ Colloquial ; mid-1900s]
-
Express approval formally or conclusively, as in The President got the majority leader to sign off on the tax proposal . This usage is colloquial.
Etymology
Origin of sign-off
First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase sign off
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.
See Examples For:
Lord Hendy insists that despite the Transport Secretary having ultimate sign-off on GBR's strategy, the body will be genuinely arms-length from government.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
With Thursday’s sign-off by the California Public Utilities Commission, the mammoth merger is expected to close next week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In addition to announcing that agency staff must now get Aronowitz’s sign-off before any major enforcement action, it set a new guideline for investigators.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
But the federal sign-off does not end the deal's legal peril.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Her sign-off was “Join me next week, because y’all know life can get messy.”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Overdeck and Siegel each needed to sign off on senior executives’ compensation, resulting in some bonus payments being held up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
State lawmakers worked up a bill but wanted the county to sign off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
He said one of the reasons the book is called Swan Song is because it is his "sign off" as Diana's brother and "final take on the situation".
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
After a project is complete, actors must sign off and be paid the equivalent of an in-person performance if their replica is used.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
According to some legal mucky-muck, both of my parents have to sign off on my staying with anyone else but one of them.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
