ceasefire

noun

cease·​fire ˈsēs-ˈfi(-ə)r How to pronounce ceasefire (audio)
variants or less commonly cease-fire
plural ceasefires also cease-fires
1
: a military order to cease firing
2
: a suspension of active hostilities

Examples of ceasefire in a Sentence

the two armies declared a ceasefire for the holiday
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Palestinians and their supporters went to the General Assembly after the U.N. Security Council failed to pass a resolution last week demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid. Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025 But as ceasefire talks backed by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar drag on, the U.S. and Israel have asserted that Hamas would need to be removed from power as a prerequisite for any post-war solution. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025 On June 4th, the U.N. Security Council voted on a draft resolution calling for an end to restrictions on aid, the release of all hostages, and a ceasefire in Gaza. Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 12 June 2025 The following week, after Danon exposed the U.N.’s actions, the U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025 The survey — which sampled 1,265 registered voters June 5-9 — also found that Americans are pessimistic about the likelihood that a ceasefire will be achieved soon. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025 Russia has so far refused U.S. proposals for a 30-day ceasefire. Colin Meyn, The Hill, 11 June 2025 Yet the terms of the truce provided no enforcement mechanisms for ceasefire violations, much less for punishment of any party breaking the agreement. Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025 Israel halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza in early March, with government officials saying their goal was to force Hamas to accept new ceasefire terms and release hostages taken during the militant group’s terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 3 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ceasefire was in 1844

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Cite this Entry

“Ceasefire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceasefire. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

cease-fire

noun
ˈsēs-ˈfī(ə)r
: a temporary stopping of warfare

More from Merriam-Webster on ceasefire

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