1 B2 neutral
To surround or close off an area with a physical barrier, tape, or line of officers to restrict access.
"Police cordoned off the street after the explosion."
separable
cordon off
B2 neutral separable transitive
To close off or surround an area with a barrier, tape, or line of people to prevent access, usually done by police or emergency services.
In plain English
To put a barrier around an area to stop people from going in.
What does "cordon off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
To create a restricted zone around something for safety or security reasons.
"The building was cordoned off while engineers checked it for structural damage."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To put a cordon (a barrier or line) around something, closing it off.
Actually means
To put a barrier around an area to stop people from going in.
Usage tip
Common in news reporting about crime scenes, accidents, protests, and emergencies. Typically used in passive constructions: 'The area was cordoned off.' A cordon is literally a line or chain of police officers, soldiers, or barriers used to enclose an area.
Words that pair with "cordon off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
area crime scene street building zone block
How to conjugate "cordon off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cordon off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cordons off
he/she/it
Past simple
cordoned off
yesterday
Past participle
cordoned off
have + pp
-ing form
cordoning off
continuous
Hear "cordon off" in the wild
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