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stop

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noun

1
as in break
a brief halt in a journey our guide called for a stop at the trail hut so we could eat and rest a bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in station
a regular stopping place had lunch on a picnic table at a shady rest stop along the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word stop distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of stop are cease, desist, discontinue, and quit. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

In what contexts can cease take the place of stop?

While in some cases nearly identical to stop, 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 stop?

In some situations, the words desist and stop are roughly equivalent. However, desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When could discontinue be used to replace stop?

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

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is quit a more appropriate choice than stop?

Although the words quit and stop have much in common, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

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 stop
Verb
Organizations need to stop managing change and start creating it. Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Maybe those who listen slavishly to Trump and read The Wall Street Journal will stop—all 12 of them. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Noun
The last stop of the Underground Railroad, Halifax, is a haven (relatively) for the formerly enslaved. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 July 2025 Speaking of music: No trip to Memphis is complete without stops at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studio and Graceland. Sal Vaglica, USA Today, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for stop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop
Verb
  • Which is yet another reason for politicians to cease trying to corrupt the brilliance of freely arrived at price signals.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
  • Historic vote guts public media nationally On May 1, Trump issued an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the private nonprofit that manages the federal money for public media, to cease funding of NPR and PBS.
    Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • However, the chance to get together in person with club members was halted that March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Scott Talley, Freep.com, 28 July 2025
  • First, income convergence between Black and white Americans largely halted.
    Idrees Kahloon, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • The Marquette University community installed President Kimo Ah Yun on April 29 in an inauguration filled with pomp, prayer and a dash of protest.
    Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 30 July 2025
  • The hot water faucet was turned all the way on and the tub filled with water that reached a temperature of at least 147.8 degrees due to an outdated water heater, according to a police investigation.
    Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • Then Duran, who woke up at 3 a.m. in Minneapolis to catch a flight to Philadelphia on Friday, ended his day with a four-pitch save — all splinkers — for a 5-4 win against the Detroit Tigers.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
  • Their figures blew away the totals of each of the other five National League teams that would make the playoffs if the season ended today.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Austin district relied heavily on contractors to overcome its chronic backlog of evaluation requests.
    Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2025
Noun
  • The Arizona Diamondbacks, 51-55, have already started selling, and the floundering St. Louis Cardinals have gone 3-7 since the break and could begin selling off their assets.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 28 July 2025
  • Regular flights between Russia’s eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Sleep stations — McClain, Ayers, and Onishi cleaned out the air ducts leading into their crew quarters in the Harmony module.
    Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Ameera Joe, Nancy’s daughter, told the news station that her mother was returning home after visiting her 1-month-old grandson when she was involved in the collision.
    Abigail Adams, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Extreme heat can also be an obstacle to exercising, spending time in nature, and socializing, all of which can make people feel good and also double as important coping mechanisms for emotional distress.
    Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 26 July 2025
  • This pattern of persecution, especially when combined with ongoing habitat loss, has likely contributed to low recruitment and remains a major obstacle to population recovery.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stop. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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