grind to a halt
idiom
of a machine
: to stop working or moving forward
The machinery slowly ground to a halt.
—often used figurativelyWithout more money, work on the project will soon grind to a halt.
Examples of grind to a halt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Havana, the public bus system has effectively ground to a halt, leaving residents stranded as endemic power outages and grueling fuel lines reach a breaking point.
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CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
When competition disappears, a monopoly forms and innovation grinds to a halt.
—Terry Lierman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2026
Over the past two weeks, a persistent onslaught of snow and ice made much of Charlotte grind to a halt.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
To be in Cuba at the moment is to witness an already beleaguered economy grind to a halt in real time.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
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CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
When competition disappears, a monopoly forms and innovation grinds to a halt.
—Terry Lierman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2026
Over the past two weeks, a persistent onslaught of snow and ice made much of Charlotte grind to a halt.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
To be in Cuba at the moment is to witness an already beleaguered economy grind to a halt in real time.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
Cite this Entry
“Grind to a halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20to%20a%20halt. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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