go off

verb

went off; gone off; going off; goes off

intransitive verb

1

: explode

2

: to burst forth or break out suddenly or noisily

3

: to go forth, out, or away : leave

4

: to undergo decline or deterioration

5

: to follow the expected or desired course : proceed

the party went off well

6

: to make a characteristic noise : sound

could hear the alarm going off

Phrases

go off the deep end

1

: to enter recklessly on a course

2

: to become very much excited

Synonyms

• blow
• blow up
• burst
• crump
• detonate
• explode
• pop

Examples of go off in a Sentence

specialists were able to deactivate the bomb before it went off

the wedding went off without so much as a single glitch

Recent Examples on the Web

After Will Smith lost a faceoff to Marcus Foligno deep in the Sharks’ zone, Declan Chisholm sent a pass over to Bogosian, whose shot toward the net went off Smith’s skate and past Vanecek at the 2:22 mark. —Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024

Once again, the 82-year-old's tireless battle against inanimate objects has reached the frontlines of the Hot Topics table, with Behar's cell phone going off on perhaps the most important day of The View's live political coverage. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024

Ellie breaks into the truck to take the necklace when the owner of the car storms out holding a baby and starts going off on her. —Laura Bradley, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024

During the formation lap, the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll went off at Turn 4 before beaching it in the gravel. —Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

go off

verb

1

: explode sense 2b

2

: to burst forth or break out suddenly or noisily

3

: to take place : proceed

the dance went off as planned