noun
cutoff
kuh-TOF
noun
1
The point at which something ends or is limited; a deadline or threshold.
"The cutoff for applications is midnight on Friday."
"Scores below the cutoff won't be considered for the scholarship."
2
A shorter route or shortcut that bypasses the usual path.
"We took a cutoff through the woods to save twenty minutes."
3
Shorts made by cutting the legs off a pair of trousers.
"He wore a pair of denim cutoffs all summer."
adj
1
Marking a limit or ending point.
"The cutoff date for entries has already passed."
How to Use Cutoff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA limit, deadline, or shortcut — the exact point where something stops or is bypassed.
Common mistake
Written as one word ("cutoff") when used as a noun or adjective; "cut off" (two words) is the verb phrase, as in "they cut off the power."
Common pairings
cutoff date
cutoff point
cutoff time
denim cutoffs
Word Forms
cutoffs plural
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The _____ for applications is midnight on Friday.
Etymology
A compound of cut and off, describing something that has been cut short or that marks a stopping point.