Meaning & use
struck off
Last updated
“struck off” is a form of “strike off”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
phrasetransitiveBritishformal
Removed a person's name from an official list, especially a professional register, as punishment.
Grammar: Usually used in the passive: the doctor was struck off.
Patterns
- be struck off a register
- strike someone off a list
The doctor was struck off after the medical council found she had lied.
The solicitor was struck off for misusing client money.
The nurse was struck off the register following a serious mistake.
phrasetransitive
Crossed out or removed an item from a list, plan or record.
Grammar: Takes an object and often 'from': struck the name off the list.
Patterns
- strike something off something
- strike something off
She struck two names off the guest list after the argument.
He struck the shop off the route because it was closed.
The clerk struck the payment off the account when it was cancelled.
phrasetransitiveBritishlegal
Removed a company from the official register of companies, so that it no longer legally exists.
Grammar: Often passive: the company was struck off.
Patterns
- be struck off the register
The firm was struck off for failing to file its accounts.
The registrar struck off hundreds of inactive companies last year.
Because it had no activity, the company was struck off.
Word forms
| base form | strike off |
|---|---|
| third person singular | strikes off |
| -ing form | striking off |
Common combinations
- struck off the register
- The doctor was struck off the register.
- struck off the list
- His name was struck off the list.
- struck off for misconduct
- The lawyer was struck off for misconduct.
- struck off the roll
- She was struck off the roll at the school.
- be struck off
- Professionals who break the rules risk being struck off.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disbarred
- It is used only for lawyers, whereas 'struck off' applies to doctors, nurses and others.
- deregistered
- It is a neutral administrative word without the sense of punishment.
- crossed off
- It is informal and means simply drawing a line through an item.
- removed
- It is a general word with no hint of official action.
Opposites
Word family
- strike verb
- to hit; to cross out
- strike-off noun
- the act of removing from a register
- struck adjective
- affected or removed
- striking off noun
- the process of removing someone from a register
Commonly confused: struck off or struck out?
struck off vs struck out
'Struck out' means crossed out text or failed to succeed, while 'struck off' usually means formally removed from a list.
Practice
After the investigation, the dentist was ___ the register for dishonest behaviour.
Choose one answer.
'Struck off' is the standard phrase for removal from a professional register; the other particles produce different phrasal verbs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “struck off”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.