cut off
/ˌkʌt ˈɔf/ [ˌkɐɾ ˈɔf]verb, noun
cut off is spelled C-U-T-O-F-F: 6 letters and 4 syllables. People search “cut-off vs cutoff” about 50 times a month (Google, United States). As a verb, cut off means “To remove by cutting” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in cut off?
| Letters | 6: C-U-T-O-F-F |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its pronunciation) |
| In writing | a phrase: the frequency list counts single words |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Pairs people search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).
How do you pronounce cut off?
- US /ˌkʌt ˈɔf/ [ˌkɐɾ ˈɔf]
Cut off has 4 syllables (counted from the pronunciation).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-cut_off.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with cut off
Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).
Also written: cutoff (one word or two).
Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of cut off
- cuts off present, singular, he/she/it
- cutting off participle, present
- cut offs plural
- cut-offs plural
- more cut-off comparative
- most cut-off superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does cut off mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To remove by cutting.
- 2
To isolate or remove from contact.
- 3
To stop the provision or supply of something, e.g. power, water.
- 4
To exclude (something) from the field of view.
Half of his head has been cut off by the edge of the photo.
- 5
To stop providing funds or something else to (someone).
His parents cut him off to encourage him to find a job.
- 6
To end abruptly.
My phone call was cut off before I could get the information.
- 7
To interrupt (someone speaking).
That dingbat cut me off as I was about to conclude my thesis.
- 8
To swerve in front of (another car) while driving.
noun
- 1
Alternative spelling of cutoff.
adjective
- 1
Having had shirt sleeves or pantlegs shortened by cutting material from the end.
noun
- 1
Alternative form of cutoff.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Cut off in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | tailler, couper, trancher , couper la parole |
| German | abschneiden , abbrechen, unterbrechen, abgeschnitten werden |
| Portuguese | recortar , cortar |
| Spanish | cortar , corchar, meterse, cerrar, atravesarse |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does cut off come from?
Deverbal from cut off.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).