Say it like this
- Can you power off the server before we start maintenance?
- Don't forget to power off your machine before the weekend.
- We need to power off the test environment tonight.
Use it at work
IT
- Please power off the laptop before you hand it in.
- Power off the old servers after the migration.
Debugging
- Power off the device and wait ten seconds.
- The server powered off unexpectedly.
Planning
- We'll power off the test environment on weekends to save money.
- Who can power off these VMs?
Don't say this
Power off is a separable phrasal verb. The object (it) goes between power and off.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| power off | Turn off completely | Anyone | Devices |
| shut down | Close everything and turn off | Anyone | Computers |
| restart | Turn off and on again | Anyone | Fixing issues |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Which sentence sounds most natural?
2. Please power off the application on your phone.
3. Don't forget to _____ the test servers before the maintenance window.
4. I made the machine to stop working by removing the electricity.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Can you power off the server before we start maintenance?"
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about power off
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"I'll power off the staging server after we finish testing today."
- Slack message
"Reminder: Please power off all lab equipment before leaving tonight."
- GitHub PR
"This script will power off the instance after the backup completes."
- Jira ticket
"Task: Power off old hardware in server room B before decommissioning."
- Retrospective
"We should have powered off the database server before the migration started."
- Sprint planning
"We'll need to power off the production nodes one by one during the upgrade."
- Pair programming
"Let's power off this VM and restart it fresh to clear the cache."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕The server powered off itself.✓The server powered off by itself.
Use 'by itself' to show something happened automatically without human action.
- ✕Please power off the application.✓Please close the application.
Power off is for hardware/devices. For software, use close, quit, or shut down.
Other forms(5)
- power off base form
"Please power off the server."
- powers off third person singular
"The system powers off automatically at midnight."
- powered off past tense
"I powered off the machine before leaving."
- powering off present participle
"We are powering off all test devices now."
- power-off noun form
"Schedule the power-off for 10 PM."
Often used with(5)
- power off the server · Most common usage in tech teams
- power off completely · Emphasizes full shutdown, not sleep mode
- power off remotely · Shut down from another location
- power off gracefully · Shut down properly, letting processes finish
- power off and restart · Common troubleshooting step
Similar words(4)
- shut down · More common for computers and software; slightly more formal
- turn off · General everyday term; works for any device
- switch off · More common in British English
- kill · Informal; often for processes, not hardware
Opposites(5)
- power on
- turn on
- boot up
- start up
- switch on
Questions(5)
- What is the difference between power off and shut down?
- Power off and shut down are very similar. Shut down is more common for computers and includes closing programs properly. Power off focuses more on cutting the electricity. Both are correct for servers and machines.
- Can I say power off for software?
- No, power off is for hardware like computers, servers, and devices. For software and applications, use close, quit, or exit instead.
- Is power off formal or informal?
- Power off is neutral. You can use it in documentation, Slack messages, or spoken instructions. It works in both formal and informal situations.
- How do I use power off in a sentence?
- Power off is separable. You can say 'power off the server' or 'power the server off'. With pronouns, put them in the middle: 'power it off' not 'power off it'.
- What is the noun form of power off?
- The noun form is power-off (with a hyphen). Example: 'Schedule the power-off for midnight.' You can also say 'power-off procedure' or 'power-off sequence'.
