desist

verb

Definition of desistnext
as in to cease

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word desist distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of desist are cease, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When would cease be a good substitute for desist?

Although the words cease and desist have much in common, 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 is it sensible to use discontinue instead of desist?

The meanings of discontinue and desist largely overlap; however, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When might quit be a better fit than desist?

While the synonyms quit and desist are close in meaning, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When could stop be used to replace desist?

In some situations, the words stop and desist 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 desist Usually, cease-and-desist letters were sufficient. —Bernard Leca, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025 In other developments, state police officers Sunday night served cease-and-desist orders on strikers at their homes, Miller said. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2025 The result of a cease-and-desist from Tig Notaro 28. —Vulture Staff, Vulture, 18 Feb. 2025 The official said on Friday that WhatsApp had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter following the hack. —Raphael Satter and James Pearson, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for desist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desist
  1. cease
  2. discontinue
  3. stop
  4. halt
  5. finish
  6. terminate
  7. conclude
Verb
  • The company has ceased production and distribution of the products as FDA and the company continue their investigation to correct the issue with the manufacturer.
    — Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
  • Trump signed an order May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding NPR and PBS.
    — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Definition of cease
Verb
  • Apple took a similar stab at this idea in the early days of the iPhone with Game Center, which still exists as a service in the background on modern Apple devices but was discontinued as a standalone app quite a few years ago.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
  • Places like Burger King and Taco Bell did venture into chicken wraps at one point, but eventually discontinued them from the menu.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Definition of discontinue
Verb
  • Nearly as important, though, is the fact that streaming continues to be a sizable fount of new viewers even after on-air and DVR viewing essentially stops.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2025
  • State police finally stopped the car on a rural road outside of Huntsville, north of Houston.
    — Chris Kenning, USA Today, 17 June 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • In fact, a 2019 Aflac survey of over 1,600 American adults found that 53% reported halting use of company products because of disliking a company’s stance on an issue.
    — Lauren Howe, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • However, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., temporarily halted the federal trade court's decision, for now reinstating the levies imposed by the president under an emergency powers law.
    — Joe Enoch, CBS News, 9 June 2025
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Christian Rasmussen started 25th and finished third, with 62 passes, the most of any driver in the race.
    — Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • Morant finished his sixth season in Memphis averaging 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists over 50 games.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Walmart is also terminating some of its employees in Florida and Texas, Bloomberg reported, after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end temporary protections for certain migrant groups.
    — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • Last year, officials agreed to terminate an agreement with the Sweetwater Union School District that had given the public access to Mar Vista’s swimming pool.
    — Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
Definition of terminate
Verb
  • Bowling Green concludes the regular season November 25 at UMass, the team’s only trip outside the region, though like the other 11 games is in the Eastern Time Zone.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • So, to conclude from the first part of the testing procedure, Arteta and Guardiola’s claims seem to have some scientific support. Follow the Club World Cup on The Athletic this summer… How will the tournament work?
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 8 June 2025
Definition of conclude

Browse Nearby Words

desirousness
desist
desisted
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Cite this Entry

“Desist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desist. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

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