warn off
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
Tell someone firmly to go away or stop what they're doing, or something bad will happen.
Meanings
1 B2 neutral
To tell someone clearly to stay away or to stop what they are doing, usually by issuing a warning or threat.
"The police warned the protestors off the private property."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To discourage a potential buyer, investor, or participant from getting involved.
"The negative reviews were enough to warn off potential buyers."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Often used in legal, competitive, and territorial contexts. Can describe official warnings (police warning someone off a property) or informal threats between individuals.
Commonly used with
competitor rival intruder investor buyer predator
Forms
Base
warn off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
warns off
he/she/it
Past simple
warned off
yesterday
Past participle
warned off
have + pp
-ing form
warning off
continuous
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Synonyms
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