go off

1
as in to explode
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure specialists were able to deactivate the bomb before it went off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of go off There was a lot of skepticism as to how the new version of i-D would be handled, since Kloss seems to be a bit removed from fashion and editorial, but the relaunch has gone off without a hitch under Editor-In-Chief Thom Bettridge. Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2025 When Minnesota returned to Chicago for the first time since Butler’s departure, Butler went off. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025 Chris McGrath / Getty Images While the protests have largely gone off without incident, some have turned violent, with demonstrators throwing stones, fireworks and other objects at riot police and officers deploying water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray. Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2025 Lennon, angry about Richard Nixon’s re-election and under the influence, began canoodling with a female guest and went off into the next room to engage in noisy intercourse. Kim Willis, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for go off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for go off
Verb
  • The chamber exploded in applause as Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer announced that Booker had broken the record.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Chicago’s Robert Morris University became the first in the nation to offer competitive e-gamers scholarships in 2015, and when the pandemic made social distancing the order of the day, their popularity exploded.
    Blythe Lawrence, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As the film progresses and the soundproof, indestructible walls of the vehicle close in tighter, the look and feel of the film intensifies and continues to build as Hopkins’ William becomes increasingly psychotic, using the programmed vehicle to, basically, torture its captive.
    Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The younger Reza grew increasingly involved in the family business as Alexandre’s illness progressed and took it over in 2020, moving operations to New York City.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The inaugural charter flight departed from Wuxi to Chicago early Friday, carrying more than 100 tons of cargo.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Ravi Ahuja will depart Roku‘s board of directors after more than a decade, following his promotion to CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Philby died in 1988, by all reports a disillusioned man, but he’d already been killed off onscreen the year before in the opening moments of this Frederick Forsyth adaptation, in which a rogue branch of the KGB plots to build and detonate a bomb on British soil.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
  • This combination of vulnerability and vengeance was compounded by the overnight news that, according to the Israeli security services, terrorists had detonated bombs on several buses across central Israel.
    Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In the intervening years, questions swirled around the 24-year-old's killing — and so did speculation.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • And when we were done talking about that, I was spun out, he was spun out.
    Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Alex exits the vehicle and sees a body buried in a nearby snowdrift.
    Matt Cabral, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Following his musical guest appearance on this weekend’s episode of the NBC sketch comedy show, the 2x Grammy nominee abruptly exited Studio 8H during curtain call, while host Mikey Madison and the cast had the traditional post-show mingle onstage during the credits.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • On the afternoon of March 12, a press release from the Environmental Protection Agency announcing a reconsideration of President Joe Biden’s plan to cut power plant emissions popped into journalists’ emails.
    Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The show, which has popped up around Chicago and Evanston regularly since August, offers a safe space for performers and a reminder to audiences of the power of creativity.
    Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The paper proceeds to paste together a transhistorical collage of names (Aristotle, Carl Linnaeus, Giovanni Morelli, Giorgio Vasari) in the service of the idea that partnership between the arts and science (both undefined) has an illustrious genealogy.
    Sonja Drimmer, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Despite a slower start to the season, which featured losses to Kentucky and Kansas in the team’s first six games, the Blue Devils proceeded to win every other game except for one against Clemson in February.
    Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Go off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/go%20off. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

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