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

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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]

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Example Sentences

Using AI, she told The Times, could turn off voters in a town where so many film workers have lost jobs to AI.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

When they kept going, I took the next turn off the highway.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

That’s easier said than done — and if ignoring the market’s volatility is impossible, you should turn off the financial news altogether.

From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026

"They can respond quickly, moving away from the danger if there are shots or debris, or even turn off their transponders so as not to be detected," he adds.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

According to Ian Rider, this was where he had to turn off.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Related Words

• alienate
• bore
• irritate
• offend