Shut off from Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Distance Used to describe feeling emotionally distant, not just physical distance. Despite living together, he felt shut off from his family. Pro Tip 2/3Not By Choice Implies involuntary isolation, not a deliberate act. The pandemic left many elderly people shut off from their loved ones. Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Isolation Refers to being disconnected from cultural trends, events, or the zeitgeist. Without internet, they were shut off from all cultural developments.