Transitive phrasal verb describing disconnection or interruption

To indicate a sudden cessation of connection—e.g., phone call ends, power outage occurs, physical barrier is placed

Phone calls ending unexpectedly, power failures causing lights to go out, road closures forcing traffic stops, interpersonal situations where someone feels isolated

Everyday conversation, technical troubleshooting reports, news articles about service interruptions, professional settings discussing operational downtime

cut ; off

cut ; off

The phone; electricity; the island; funding

• suddenly
• completely
• feel cut off

• disconnect
• sever
• isolate
• terminate

‘Cut me off’ used as an idiom meaning to be interrupted—learners often misuse it in this way.

cut out (remove/remove from use), cut down (reduce quantity/size)

In English-speaking contexts learners may confuse ‘cut off’ with the idiomatic expression ‘he cut me off’, leading to misinterpretation of interruption vs. disconnection.

• cutoff (noun/adjective)

The phrase conveys abruptness and often implies finality; can carry social implications such as feeling isolated or excluded.

Signals a sudden, sometimes perceived as rude or abrupt termination of communication or access.

We were cut off in the middle of our conversation.

Phrasal verb that requires the object to be placed between 'cut' and 'off' in most uses, but can be separated by the object in some contexts.

cut off your nose to spite your face