stop 1 of 2

verb

ˈstäp How to pronounce stop (audio)
Definition of stopnext
1
as in to cease
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the manufacturer will stop selling the toy and will immediately recall all the units that have already been sold

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to halt
to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain I stopped the mouse hole with plaster

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to end
to come to an end the music stopped but we kept on dancing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to overcome
to achieve a victory over they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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3
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult pulled out all the stops and presented the most spectacular show ever

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in halt
the stopping of a process or activity put a stop to this nonsense

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The Napoleonic Wars raged across continental Europe, but that did not stop society life from carrying on in all its dazzling elegance. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 The synth worked, but the device stopped speaking the same language as the installers. — ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
The Lucca Comics chief speaks to Variety about pulling out all the stops to celebrate the crossover between different forms of geek culture, in particular between movies and video games. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 That same work found interrupting therapy worsened symptoms, which is the clinical reason abrupt stops are what prescribers try hardest to prevent. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop
  1. cease
  2. halt
  3. fill
  4. end
  5. overcome
  6. break
  7. station
  8. obstacle
Verb
  • After Epstein's 2019 arrest, federal prosecutors asked New Mexico to cease its own investigation of Epstein's activities in New Mexico.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • After dramatically reducing the number of children in hotels over the past three years, DHS ceased the practice entirely in November 2025.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of cease
Verb
  • After fumbling twice in Michigan State territory, halting offensive momentum, the Bruins were trailing going into the second quarter and tied 7-7 with three minutes left in the second quarter.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The guests seemed less upset by the death than by the news that their infusions would be halted.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Building 1,600 stores at once Once the leases are signed, Spirit has to fill them.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Its magical forest is filled with talking animals, tree-worshipping mystics, scheming functionaries, and the Dowager Governess (Carey Mulligan), an enchantress who commands an army of uniformed coyotes.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fill
Verb
  • Letter writer second-guesses history of avoidant behavior after one phone argument ends a decades-long friendship.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In a shocking upset, a student movement resoundingly beat longtime Serbian leader President Aleksandar Vucic, ending his time in power after 14 years.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of end
Verb
  • Experts who are part of consultations expect the new policy to lay down clear and consistent rules, which will also help the industry overcome challenges around land acquisition and simplify a fragmented approval process.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The song addresses overcoming adversity and using others’ doubts to fuel your passion.
    — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • The league has agreed to an extended All-Star break to accommodate the Olympics, but MLB also could tire of waiting for the union to agree with LA28, which badly wants MLB players to participate.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • After the break, Colleyville Heritage wide receiver Trevi Preische’s 10-yard TD reception helped the Panthers make some progress, but a 23-yard score from Caldwell put Argyle’s lead back to three-scores.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • Drones deploy from a weatherproof docking station that handles launch, landing, charging, data upload and mission scheduling without an on-site operator.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Support for the populist had eroded since 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of station
Noun
  • Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstacle

Phrases Containing stop

Browse Nearby Words

stoop (to)
stop
stop (by)
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Cite this Entry

“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stop. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stop

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stop

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