kloʊz ɒf
neutral
intermediate
- Base verb:
- close
- Particle:
- off
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "close off" mean?
- To block or seal an entrance or passage
- To prevent access to an area
- To separate an area from the rest
Examples
- Police closed off the street after the accident.
- We need to close off this section of the building.
- The damaged area was closed off for repairs.
- They closed off the path with a barrier.
- The investigation area has been closed off to the public.
How to use it
Common in emergency situations, construction, and events. Implies physical barriers or restrictions preventing entry.
Word order
Object can go between: 'close the road off' or after: 'close off the road'.
Similar expressions
block
seal
bar
restrict access
barricade
Opposites
open up
allow access
Related phrasal verbs
- close down
To stop operating permanently (business, factory)
- close up
To close and lock a building at the end of the day
- close in
To approach and surround from all sides
- turn off
To stop a device or appliance by pressing a switch or button
- get off
To leave a bus, train, plane, or other public transport
- go off
To explode or fire (bomb, gun, fireworks)
Use it in a practice answer
Try "close off" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.