What does "cutoff" mean?
The point at which something terminates or to which it is limited.
Cutoff
/kəˈtɒf/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The point at which something terminates or to which it is limited.
- Grammar: cutoff is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: air line, airline, arrest, beeline.
- Useful contrasts: connected, continuation, continuity.
- Usage evidence: No submissions will be accepted after the June 1st cutoff.
How to use "cutoff"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cutoff" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cutoff" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cutoff" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cutoff" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cutoff" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "air line" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cutoff", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The point at which something terminates or to which it is limited. countable, uncountable
- 2 a device that terminates the flow in a pipe wordnet
- 3 The point at which something terminates or to which it is limited.; A cutoff point (cutoff value, threshold value, cutpoint): the amount set by an operational definition as the transition point between states in a discretization or dichotomization. countable, uncountable
- 4 a route shorter than the usual one wordnet
- 5 A road, path or channel that provides a shorter or quicker path; a shortcut. countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a designated limit beyond which something cannot function or must be terminated wordnet
- 7 A device that stops the flow of a current. countable, uncountable
- 8 A device for saving steam by regulating its admission to the cylinder (see quotation at cut-off). countable, uncountable
- 9 A cessation in a flow or activity. countable, uncountable
"If the treatment is approved, a script is written. If the script is approved, it goes into production. But this is usually a long and painful process. A cutoff can take place (and often does) at any step along the way."
- 10 The player who acts directly before the player on the button pre-flop. countable, uncountable
- 11 Shorts made by cutting off the legs from trousers. countable, in-plural, uncountable
"[…] I spotted through the window a young woman casually crossing Astor Place wearing a pair of cutoffs, some sandals and — it is fully legal to do this — naked above the waist."
- 12 A sleeveless shirt, especially one made by cutting the sleeves off of a t-shirt. countable, uncountable
- 13 A horizontal line separating sections of the page. countable, uncountable
"Light-face type, cutoffs, borders and rules are the universal plan. No black body matter and almost no black headlines appear."
Adjective
- 1 Constituting a limit or ending. not-comparable
- 2 Designating a score or value demarcating the presence (or absence) of a disease, condition, or similar. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"No submissions will be accepted after the June 1st cutoff."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cutoff"?
Common synonyms include: air line, airline, arrest, beeline, bell, border line.
How do you use "cutoff" in a sentence?
No submissions will be accepted after the June 1st cutoff.
How do you pronounce "cutoff"?
Pronounced /kəˈtɒf/.
Etymology
Deverbal from cut off.