Meaning & use
cutoff time
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Meanings
nouncountable
The latest moment by which something must be done, handed in, or received.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'the' or a possessive: the cutoff time for entries, our cutoff time.
Patterns
- the cutoff time for something
- meet the cutoff time
- before/after the cutoff time
The cutoff time for submitting your application is 5 p.m. on Friday.
If you call after the cutoff time, you will have to wait until the next day.
We missed the cutoff time for the last train, so we took a taxi home.
nouncountable
A fixed point in a process after which no further action or entry is allowed.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'cutoff time for' plus a noun or -ing form.
Patterns
- the cutoff time for doing something
- set a cutoff time
The cutoff time for registration is midnight tonight.
There is a strict cutoff time for ordering drinks at the bar.
Word forms
| plural | cutoff times |
|---|
Common combinations
- meet the cutoff time
- We worked late to meet the cutoff time for the report.
- miss the cutoff time
- She missed the cutoff time by just two minutes.
- strict cutoff time
- The competition has a strict cutoff time for entries.
- before the cutoff time
- Please send your documents before the cutoff time.
- after the cutoff time
- Any changes made after the cutoff time will not be accepted.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deadline
- A deadline is a general word for the time by which something must be finished; a cutoff time often suggests a stricter point after which nothing at all is accepted.
- closing time
- Closing time usually refers to when a shop, bar, or office closes for the day, while a cutoff time can apply to any activity or submission.
- limit
- A limit is a general boundary, often of amount or speed, not necessarily a specific time.
Word family
- cut off phrasal verb
- To stop something or someone suddenly; related in meaning to the point where something ends.
Commonly confused: cutoff time or cutback?
cutoff time vs cutback
A cutback is a reduction in spending or staff, not a time limit. Do not confuse 'cutoff time' with 'cutback'.
Practice
What is the cutoff time for ___ your homework?
Choose one answer.
After 'cutoff time for', we use a gerund (-ing form) because 'for' is a preposition: 'for handing in'. 'Hand in' is the base form and cannot follow a preposition directly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cutoff time”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.