cut off

/kʌt ɔf/

//kʌt ɔf// verb

"cut-off" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cut off” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To remove by cutting.

Corpus desk

Index EN-cut-off · cut off · English

cut off · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for cut off
PropertyValue
Headwordcut off
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kʌt ɔf/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “cut off” in English

cut offsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cut off is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /kʌt ɔf/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 10 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for cut off in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct English form is cut off, spelled C-U-T- -O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove by cutting.
  2. 2
    To isolate or remove from contact.
  3. 3
    To stop the provision or supply of something, e.g. power, water.
  4. 4
    To exclude (something) from the field of view.
  5. 5
    To stop providing funds or something else to (someone).
  6. 6
    To end abruptly.
  7. 7
    To interrupt (someone speaking).
  8. 8
    To swerve in front of (another car) while driving.
  9. 9
    To move so as to block someone else's movement in a direction.
  10. 10
    To turn off or switch off (an electrical device).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how cut off appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The entranced spectator was cut off from reality as long as the adventure lasted; it was as if he lived a dream yet believed he was awake.
  2. […] the master controller handle contains a device which automatically applies the brakes and cuts off all power to the electric motors in the event of an emergency; […]

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cut off"?
"cut off" is spelled C-U-T- -O-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /kʌt ɔf/.
What does "cut off" mean?
As a verb, "cut off" means: To remove by cutting.
How do you pronounce "cut off"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cut off" is /kʌt ɔf/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "cut off" come from?
"cut off" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list