cease 1 of 2

verb

ˈsēs How to pronounce cease (audio)
Definition of ceasenext
1
as in to stop
to come to an end the rain finally ceased, and we were able to continue the baseball game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to halt
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end cease chattering and get down to work, please

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cease

2 of 2

noun

as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity worked without cease for the betterment of humanity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cease distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cease are desist, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," 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 cease?

The words desist and cease can be used in similar contexts, but desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

In what contexts can discontinue take the place of cease?

The synonyms discontinue and cease are sometimes interchangeable, but discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is it sensible to use quit instead of cease?

While in some cases nearly identical to cease, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When would stop be a good substitute for cease?

In some situations, the words stop and cease are roughly equivalent. However, stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

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 cease
Verb
The act asks the courts to force the DOE to disclose all the relevant records involved with the preparation of the report, and to cease relying on it for any regulatory actions. —Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025 Mason urged the public to cease harassment of the two people and have patience with the investigative process. —Will Carless, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
However, there is no chance of this prospective force being deployed in and around Ukraine before hostilities cease, and that gives the Kremlin what some analysts call a powerful veto. —Tim Lister, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025 How is Israel supposed to accept the continued existence of the Hamas ‘government’, a government sworn to Israel’s destruction, when a cease fire would be an opportunity to rearm and dig tunnels? —Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cease
  1. stop
  2. halt
  3. cessation
  4. expire
  5. end
  6. ending
  7. conclude
  8. quit
Verb
  • The defense for Texas has held up its end of the bargain, stopping the run well, allowing one of the lowest rushing yard totals per game in the country.
    — Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Central finally stopped the bleeding late in the half on a TD pass from Smith to Jeremiah Mateo Mora.
    — Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The House spending bill would use that power as a cudgel, halting congressional approval of FASB’s budget (see page 108) until the accounting agency repeals its new disclosure rules.
    — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Kennedy also has halted nearly $500 million in mRNA projects.
    — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of halt
Noun
  • Or that cessation triggers withdrawal symptoms—including pain, fever, and diarrhea—similar to those faced by opioid abusers.
    — Kevin Sabet, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The Senate bill is opposed by multiple smoking cessation groups, who argued that the Senate version lacked teeth to curb youth vaping.
    — Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • Washington and Beijing then reached a deal to reduce levies, which expires in November, with the United States imposing 30 percent duties on imports of Chinese goods and China hitting US products with a 10 percent tariff.
    — Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Federal pandemic funding is expiring, leaving many districts with budget cuts approaching 8%.
    — Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of expire
Verb
  • The deal, amended by Thailand's cabinet last month, ends a long period of uncertainty since work on the project began as far back as 2017.
    — Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • At the May meeting, the council voted 4-0 to end treatment.
    — Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of end
Noun
  • The moment carried extra weight because this wasn’t just a season ending.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • But this time, quarterback Conner Harrell took command, helping coach Tim Albin earn his first win as the 49ers’ head coach, rewriting an ending that felt all too familiar for 15,681 Charlotte fans in attendance.
    — Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of ending
Verb
  • Michigan Court of Appeals concluded that the MPSC appropriately examined the location of the Line 5 replacement segment within the Great Lakes Tunnel, consistent with Michigan law.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • This week, a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
    — Mandalit del Barco, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Mary Ceron is another homeowner who attempted to quit but ended up at a final hearing against her will.
    — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That prompted a frustrated Webex engineer, Eric Yuan, to quit and start Zoom, which is why WebEx looks like a crude prototype of what Zoom became.
    — Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of quit

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Cite this Entry

“Cease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cease. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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