ceased; ceasing
: to cause to come to an end especially gradually : no longer continue
they were forced to cease operations
cease to exist
1
a
: to come to an end
the fighting gradually ceased
b
: to bring an activity or action to an end : discontinue
they have been ordered to cease and desist
2
obsolete
: to become extinct : die out
: cessation
—usually used with without
… kept an eye upon her without cease …—
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis StevensonExamples of cease in a Sentence
Verb
The fighting along the border has temporarily ceased.
The factory ceased operations last year.
The child would not cease his constant whining.
Noun
worked without cease for the betterment of humanity
Recent Examples on the Web
Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Duffy said Spirit has the money in reserve funds to refund travelers who booked tickets before the airline ceased operations earlier this morning.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 1 May 2026
The incident came after officials cited Gbollie and sent him several cease-and-desist letters.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cease
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Verb
Travelers across the country reacted with a mix of disbelief, gratitude and sadness as Spirit Airlines ceased operations, upending plans and marking the end of a carrier that, for many, had become a lifeline for affordable travel.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Duffy said Spirit has the money in reserve funds to refund travelers who booked tickets before the airline ceased operations earlier this morning.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Noun
The bankruptcy plan requires Purdue cease operations to form a new public benefit corporation called Knoa Pharma, which is run by a nonprofit foundation.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 1 May 2026
The incident came after officials cited Gbollie and sent him several cease-and-desist letters.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cease
Cite this Entry
“Cease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cease. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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