"The car shut off" vs "The car shut down"

Question

"The car shut off" vs "The car shut down"

Both phrases, 'the car shut down' and 'the car shut off,' are correct and commonly used in English. They are interchangeable and can be used to describe the action of stopping a car's engine.

Last Updated: March 31, 2024

This phrase is used to describe the process of a car's engine stopping, often in a controlled manner by turning off the ignition.

Examples:

I shut off the car before getting out.
The car shut off when I removed the key from the ignition.
Please remember to shut off the car when you're done driving.
The engine shut off as soon as I turned the key.
The car shut off automatically after a few minutes of inactivity.

Alternatives:

the car turned off
the car powered down
the car came to a stop
the car ceased operation
the car halted

This phrase is used to describe the process of a car's engine stopping, often due to a malfunction or as a safety feature.

Examples:

The car shut down suddenly on the highway.
I had to call a tow truck when my car shut down in the middle of the road.
If the engine overheats, the car may shut down automatically.
The mechanic is trying to figure out why the car shut down unexpectedly.
After a few attempts, the car finally shut down.

Alternatives:

the car stopped running
the car stalled
the car came to a halt
the car ceased operating
the car powered off

Answer 1

The car shut off

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe the action of a car's engine stopping.

Answer 2

The car shut down

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe the action of a car's engine stopping.

"The car shut off" vs "The car shut down"

The car shut off

The car shut down

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