close off

phrasal verb

closed off; closing off; closes off

: to not allow (something) to be used for a period of time : close

The city closed off the beach to tourists.

Half of the museum was closed off while they made the changes.

—sometimes used figuratively

He closes himself off to new experiences.

Examples of close off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Khosla has described it as a case of private property rights, while political leaders, surfers and environmentalists have said the issue could set a precedent about whether California’s beaches can be closed off by wealthy landowners. —

Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2024 This would close off one possible way for Kamala Harris to win 270 electoral votes. —

ABC News, 22 Sep. 2024 The shooting led authorities to close off Canyon Lodge, a complex of hotel rooms, cabins and dining facilities, for several days. —

CBS News, 19 Sep. 2024 People inside the mall were evacuated and roads nearby temporarily closed off. —

Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for close off

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'close off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.