chop them off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "chop them off" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are referring to the act of cutting something off, either literally or metaphorically. Example: "If the branches are too long, you should chop them off to maintain the shape of the tree."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"We can chop them off!" "Canadian!

The New York Times

Garlic farmers chop them off to discourage the plants from concentrating on flower production.

The New York Times

Her tears wipe clean her hands, inspiring the Devil to demand her father chop them off, which he duly does.

The New York Times

"I'm going to chop them off at the knees".

Forbes

For the pods on the taller branches, he'd chop them off with a palanca, a hoe-like tool roughly 4 feet in length with a long, wooden handle and sharp, flat blade.

Huffington Post

"It doesn't help our leadership to try to hold us Republicans together on anything when they know the president will chop them off at the knees," one anonymous GOP lawmaker who's tight with Speaker Paul Ryan told Politico.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Another had a couple of fingers missing – his brother had chopped them off with an axe".

Independent

"We should have chopped them off when we found out that they were insolvent," he told The Independent.

Independent

The job, which involved climbing trees perhaps 90 feet tall, tying down the limbs and then chopping them off, paid well: $200 to $1,000 a day.

The New York Times

The authorities there have decreed that those witnesses to enduring love, the padlocks that festoon some of the city's bridges, will last only until the clean-up crews get round to chopping them off with heavy-duty bolt cutters.

The Guardian - Opinion

Another 14-year-old student said that the babies will have tails because mice "had tails until he chopped them off its … well … they were born with tails, so the other mice would be born with tails" (p. 306).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "chop them off" figuratively, ensure the context clearly conveys the intended meaning of abrupt termination or removal. For example, "We need to chop off the unnecessary features to make the product more streamlined."

Common error

Avoid using "chop them off" in formal writing or professional settings where a more refined or technical term would be appropriate. Using a phrase like "remove" or "excise" can improve the tone and credibility of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "chop them off" functions as a verb phrase that includes a transitive verb ("chop") and a direct object ("them"), followed by the particle "off". According to Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It indicates the action of cutting something completely away from its base.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "chop them off" is a verb phrase indicating the act of severing something. Ludwig's AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It's most frequently found in News & Media and Wiki contexts, suggesting a generally informal to neutral register. While the phrase is clear and direct, more formal alternatives like "remove them" or "excise them" may be preferable in academic or professional settings. The phrase functions to describe or instruct on the act of cutting something away, and its figurative use implies decisive action or termination.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sever them

Implies a more formal or forceful separation.

cut them away

Emphasizes removing something that is attached or connected.

lop them off

Suggests a quick and somewhat rough cutting action.

amputate them

Refers specifically to the surgical removal of a limb or body part.

remove them

A more general term for taking something away.

detach them

Focuses on separating something from its point of connection.

hack them off

Suggests a crude or violent cutting action.

snip them off

Implies a small, precise cut, often with scissors.

trim them off

Suggests a light cutting action to neaten or shape something.

excise them

A more formal term for surgically removing something.

FAQs

What does "chop them off" mean?

The phrase "chop them off" literally means to cut something off with a sharp tool. Figuratively, it means to abruptly remove or terminate something.

What are some alternatives to "chop them off"?

You can use alternatives like "sever them", "remove them", or "cut them away" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "chop them off" in formal writing?

In most cases, no. "Chop them off" is generally considered informal. More appropriate terms for formal writing include "excise", "remove", or "terminate".

How can I use "chop them off" in a sentence?

Example usage: "If the costs are too high, we need to chop them off immediately" or "The gardener will chop them off if those branches grow any longer".