Phrase guide

switch off

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To stop or disable a device by turning a switch or a lever.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To lose interest, and start thinking about something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To alternate between; to trade.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • Do you eat all your peas and then all your potatoes, or do you switch off between them as you go?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Turn off the stereo, please
  • cut the engine
  • turn out the lights

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cut, turn off, turn out

Antonyms: switch on

Broader terms: throw, flip, switch

Narrower terms: kill

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: անջատել (anǰatel) — turn switch to off position
  • Belarusian: выключаць (vyključacʹ) — turn switch to off position
  • Central Bikol: palsok — turn switch to off position
  • Catalan: apagar — turn switch to off position
  • Chinese Cantonese: 關 /关 (gwaan1) — turn switch to off position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 關 /关 (guān) — turn switch to off position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 關掉 /关掉 (guāndiào) — turn switch to off position
  • Czech: vypnout — turn switch to off position
  • Danish: slukke — turn switch to off position
  • Dutch: uitzetten — turn switch to off position
  • Dutch: uitschakelen — turn switch to off position
  • Esperanto: elŝalti — turn switch to off position
  • Finnish: sammuttaa — turn switch to off position
  • Finnish: kytkeä pois päältä — turn switch to off position
  • French: éteindre — turn switch to off position
  • Georgian: გამორთვა (gamortva) — turn switch to off position
  • Georgian: გამოთიშვა (gamotišva) — turn switch to off position
  • German: abschalten — turn switch to off position
  • German: ausschalten — turn switch to off position
  • Greek: σβήνω (svíno) — turn switch to off position
  • Hebrew: כיבה (kibá) — turn switch to off position
  • Hungarian: kikapcsol — turn switch to off position
  • Hungarian: lekapcsol — turn switch to off position
  • Ido: ekswichar — turn switch to off position
  • Irish: cuir as — turn switch to off position
  • Irish: múch — turn switch to off position
  • Italian: spegnere — turn switch to off position
  • Japanese: 消す (kesu) — turn switch to off position
  • Japanese: 切る (kiru) — turn switch to off position
  • Javanese: mateni — turn switch to off position
  • Khmer: បិទ (bət) — turn switch to off position
  • Korean: 끄다 (kkeuda) — turn switch to off position
  • Latvian: izslēgt — turn switch to off position
  • Lithuanian: išjungti — turn switch to off position
  • Māori: whakaweto — turn switch to off position
  • Polish: wyłączać — turn switch to off position
  • Polish: wyłączyć — turn switch to off position
  • Portuguese: desligar — turn switch to off position
  • Romanian: deconecta — turn switch to off position
  • Romanian: dezlega — turn switch to off position
  • Romanian: separa — turn switch to off position
  • Russian: выключа́ть (vyključátʹ) — turn switch to off position
  • Russian: вы́ключить (výključitʹ) — turn switch to off position
  • Spanish: apagar — turn switch to off position
  • Swedish: stänga av — turn switch to off position
  • Thai: ปิด (bpìt) — turn switch to off position
  • Thai: ดับ (dàp) — turn switch to off position
  • Turkish: kapatmak — turn switch to off position
  • Vietnamese: tắt — turn switch to off position
  • Yiddish: אויסלעשן (oysleshn) — turn switch to off position
  • Finnish: kytkeä pois päältä — to lose interest
  • Hungarian: kikapcsol — to lose interest
  • Spanish: desconectar — to lose interest
  • Finnish: vuorotella — to alternate between