traffic stop
noun
plural traffic stops
: an instance of police stopping a driver (as for speeding or a broken taillight)
She was pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
an officer making a traffic stop
Examples of traffic stop in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kearse, 53, was convicted of killing Fort Pierce police officer Danny Parrish during a 1991 traffic stop.
—
Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Newton had previously shot and killed a 47-year-old unarmed man, Donnie Sanders, after a traffic stop near Prospect Avenue in March 2020.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Authorities located the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield, sparking a pursuit.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Five officers were involved in the traffic stop that preceded the shooting that left Reed dead and a Chicago Police Department officer wounded.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traffic stop
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.
Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Newton had previously shot and killed a 47-year-old unarmed man, Donnie Sanders, after a traffic stop near Prospect Avenue in March 2020.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Authorities located the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield, sparking a pursuit.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Five officers were involved in the traffic stop that preceded the shooting that left Reed dead and a Chicago Police Department officer wounded.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traffic stop
Cite this Entry
“Traffic stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic%20stop. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
