[go: up one dir, main page]

stop 1 of 2

Definition of stopnext
1
2
3
4
5

stop

2 of 2

noun

1
as in break
a brief halt in a journey our guide called for a stop at the trail hut so we could eat and rest a bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in station
a regular stopping place had lunch on a picnic table at a shady rest stop along the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stop distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of stop are cease, desist, discontinue, and quit. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

In what contexts can cease take the place of stop?

While in some cases nearly identical to stop, cease applies to states, conditions, or existence and may add a suggestion of gradualness and a degree of finality.

by nightfall the fighting had ceased

When can desist be used instead of stop?

In some situations, the words desist and stop are roughly equivalent. However, desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When could discontinue be used to replace stop?

The meanings of discontinue and stop largely overlap; however, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is quit a more appropriate choice than stop?

Although the words quit and stop have much in common, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stop
Verb
Stuart Skinner stopped 17 shots. CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026 At one point, Egor Chinakhov had a clean break in off the right wing that Korpisalo stopped and then absorbed Chinakhov crashing into him. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
The first stop on this retrospective journey is the Cold War, a time marked by scientific breakthroughs that were both awesome and terrifying. Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026 Bird accompanied Rapp to several stops on the first leg of her Bite Me Tour in 2025. Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop
Verb
  • From December through February, shuttle service largely ceases (outside of select days and weekends; check shuttle schedules for up-to-date details).
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Meanwhile, over in Britain, a vibrant antiwar movement brought on motion after motion in Parliament to cease fire and end all offensive operations against the rebels.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his counterpart from Mexico on Sunday to discuss strategies to halt drug trafficking operations in Mexico and the United States.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Coming off a loss at home against Calgary on Saturday that halted their season-high six game winning streak, the Penguins were shut out for the fourth time this season.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The work triangle has origins dating back to the 19th century, but in a space that now serves diverse purposes and is filled with technology and appliances that didn’t exist when it was created, is the kitchen work triangle still relevant?
    Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
  • If the car starts to fill with water and reaches seat level, fire officials say getting onto the roof of your vehicle becomes the safest option.
    Zach Boetto, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The administration has quietly directed diplomats to press allies on restricting inflows, enhancing deportation mechanisms, and ending policies perceived as favoring migrants over citizens.
    Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
  • This abuse of justice must end.
    Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Samsung says these structural improvements allow the HP5 to overcome traditional low-light limitations.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Vance’s second biggest battle is overcoming political history, which statistically does not favor incumbent vice presidents’ chances of winning the White House.
    Myra Adams, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Minnesota led 71-54 at the halftime break.
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Hoover settled down as the game wore on and led TCU on a scoring drive after the halftime break.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce told the local station that the 5-year-old boy’s half-brother was the only student on board when the incident happened.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The top features include dedicated beverage areas and pet-feeding stations, NKBA reports.
    Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Joint pain that turns stairs into obstacles.
    Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 Jan. 2026
  • One other obstacle the White House will need to contend with, Hochstein said, is blowback from Gulf countries and from China.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stop. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on stop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!