close off
phrasal verb
closed off; closing off; closes off
: to not allow (something) to be used for a period of time : close
The city closed off the beach to tourists.
Half of the museum was closed off while they made the changes.
—sometimes used figurativelyHe closes himself off to new experiences.
Examples of close off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Golden Hurricane closed off any driving lanes and forced the Hornets to shoot plenty of three-point shots, many of which were quick.
—
Erick Taylor, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2025
The proposal calls for closing off South River Street to create a cul-de-sac.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
To create a prison there, the regime had seized two apartment buildings, closed off the streets with iron gates, and then converted the park into an open-air garage and refuelling spot for vehicles.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
What To Know Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, Israel, in response, has launched several ground and air operations in Gaza and closed off essential aid access points.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for close off 
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.
Erick Taylor, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2025
The proposal calls for closing off South River Street to create a cul-de-sac.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
To create a prison there, the regime had seized two apartment buildings, closed off the streets with iron gates, and then converted the park into an open-air garage and refuelling spot for vehicles.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
What To Know Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, Israel, in response, has launched several ground and air operations in Gaza and closed off essential aid access points.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for close off
Dictionary Entries Near close off
Cite this Entry
“Close off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20off. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share