Turn off: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used in everyday language to stop the operation of electrical devices or appliances manually. It can also metaphorically mean to lose interest in something.

• Don't forget to turn off the lights before you leave.
• His rude comments really turned me off.

Typically used in British English and can be used interchangeably with 'turn off' in many contexts. It is common in everyday speech.

• Please switch off the TV when you're done.
• I always switch off my phone at night.

Often used to indicate a more abrupt stopping of a device or mechanism, often in the context of safety or emergency situations. It can have a slightly negative connotation if indicating urgency or abruptness.

• He had to shut off the gas valve to prevent a leak.
• The alarm shut off after we reset the system.

Usually used in technical or formal settings, especially related to computers or electronic systems, to denote the process of safely shutting down. Implies a controlled and complete shutdown.

• Make sure to save all your files before you power down the computer.
• The engineers need to power down the system for maintenance.