turnoff

[ turn-awf, -of ]

/ ˈtɜrnˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

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See synonyms for turnoff on Thesaurus.com

noun

a small road that branches off from a larger one, especially a ramp or exit leading off a major highway: He took the wrong turnoff and it took him some 15 minutes to get back on the turnpike.

a place at which one diverges from or changes a former course.

an act of turning off.

the finished product of a certain manufacturing process, as weaving.

the quantity of fattened livestock distributed to market.

Slang. something or someone that makes one unsympathetic or antagonistic.

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Origin of turnoff

First recorded in 1680–90; noun use of verb phrase turn off

Words nearby turnoff

turnip moth, turnip-rooted celery, turnkey, turnkey project, turnkey system, turnoff, turn of phrase, turn of the century, turn of the tide, turnon, turn one's back on

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use turnoff in a sentence

Even as we approached the turnoff to Highway 14 that would take us past my hometown, I began to waffle.
The ghosts of our motel|Sabaa Tahir|November 29, 2021|Vox
Aparicio thought about buying a Peloton during the pandemic, but the price of the equipment—anywhere between $1,500 and $2,500—was a turnoff.
America's Going to the Gym Again. That's Bad News for Peloton, But Great News for Mental Health|Sean Gregory|November 12, 2021|Time
Kendall is absolutely right that his dad is a terrible person, but the ways in which he’s expressing that idea are an active turnoff to his siblings, who are still deeply ensnared in their father’s web.
Succession turns a box of doughnuts into a stealthy statement about abuse|Emily VanDerWerff|October 25, 2021|Vox
Around a final bend, I eased off the gas, coasting down the slope, scanning the left side of the road for the turnoff.
The Thinking Man’s Guide to Hitting a Moose|jversteegh|October 21, 2021|Outside Online

Rest easy with the auto turnoff feature, which shuts off the device when it’s getting overheated.
Space heaters to help you stay toasty|PopSci Commerce Team|October 5, 2020|Popular-Science
But one incident was such a turnoff for him that it nearly got him off booze himself.
Richard Burton’s Sexy Diaries: 13 Juiciest Bits|Kevin Fallon|October 20, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Another big turnoff is its inability to play Flash video, resulting in thousands of Web sites showing up with empty white squares.
iPad: Love It or Loathe It?|The Daily Beast|April 3, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Former contributors to the site attest that the ruling "in-crowd" is a turnoff for new users.
The Myth of Wikipedia Democracy|Nicholas Ciarelli|November 28, 2009|DAILY BEAST
A few miles before the town of Lathrop Wells, Scotty spotted their turnoff.
The Scarlet Lake Mystery|Harold Leland Goodwin
He told the boys how he planted himself at the Pahrump Valley turnoff because the sedan would have to turn on lights there.
The Scarlet Lake Mystery|Harold Leland Goodwin
A turnoff to darkness has been deliberately taken, superstition has been embraced while knowledge has been destroyed.
The Year When Stardust Fell|Raymond F. Jones
Rick braked to a stop as the highway met the turnoff to Easton.
The Flying Stingaree|Harold Leland Goodwin
They reached the pumice works without seeing the geologist's lights again, and Rick stopped at the turnoff.
The Flaming Mountain|Harold Leland Goodwin

British Dictionary definitions for turnoff

turn off

verb

to leave (a road, pathway, etc)

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

(tr, adverb) to cause (something) to cease operating by turning a knob, pushing a button, etcto turn off the radio

(tr) informal to cause (a person, etc) to feel dislike or distaste for (something)this music turns me off

(tr, adverb) British informal to dismiss from employment

noun turn-off

a road or other way branching off from the main thoroughfare

informal a person or thing that elicits dislike or distaste

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with turnoff

turn off

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

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]