stop 1 of 2

verb

ˈstäp How to pronounce stop (audio)
Definition of stopnext
1
as in to cease
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the manufacturer will stop selling the toy and will immediately recall all the units that have already been sold

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to halt
to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain I stopped the mouse hole with plaster

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to end
to come to an end the music stopped but we kept on dancing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to overcome
to achieve a victory over they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stop

2 of 2

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

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

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3
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult pulled out all the stops and presented the most spectacular show ever

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in halt
the stopping of a process or activity put a stop to this nonsense

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The protesters stopped at a Kroger and held signs to cars passing by, then turned back around down Bailey Boswell Road and headed back to Boswell High. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026 Less than 1% of violent crimes occurring within a half mile of any light rail, bus route, stop or terminal actually involved public transit since 2023, the Observer’s analysis found. —Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
Dallas marks the fourth stop on Middleton’s NBA journey after being drafted with the 39th overall pick in 2012 by the Detroit Pistons, who traded him to Milwaukee after one season. —Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026 Next stop will be Paris in June, with an homage to Laporte. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop
  1. cease
  2. halt
  3. fill
  4. end
  5. overcome
  6. break
  7. station
  8. obstacle
Verb
  • University of Arkansas men's basketball Coach John Calipari has ceased box-out drills.
    — Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Based on the timeline laid out by the district attorney’s office, all attempts to find Proctor ceased after Gascón was defeated by current Los Angeles County Dist.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of cease
Verb
  • But the shutdown will not halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection operations because Republicans in Congress sent those agencies tens of millions of dollars in extra funding last year.
    — Riley Beggin, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Pay would be halted for 56,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, but they would still be required to show up for work.
    — Justin Gomez, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • These moves fill holes and buy time for prospects, forcing them to meet certain thresholds before advancing through the minors.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
  • According to the city, if approved, Peterson would fill a seat previously held by Commissioner Joseph Mitchell, whose term ended in November 2025.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of fill
Verb
  • Now a rather similar squad is tasked with ending the title drought.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Connor also ended things with Emma after telling her about his strong connection with Bri.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of end
Verb
  • Tian Feng, former dean of SenseTime’s Intelligence Industry Research Institute, revealed that the free provision of T800 robots will help smaller companies overcome research and development barriers.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The first obstacle to overcome is to develop a computer chip that works in the extreme conditions of space, which includes exposure to much higher levels of radiation.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • With a loss Wednesday night to the New Orleans Pelicans and the middling middle ground will prove all too real, with the Heat entering that game at 28-27, with an eight-day All-Star break to follow.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Milwaukee had made 40% of their 3-point attempts before the break and held the Magic to just 19% from distance.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • Vast intends to launch a pathfinder station called Haven-1 to LEO in 2027, then use the experience gained to build and operate the multi-module Haven-2 over the next few years.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The neighborhood/area A seven minute stroll from the Greenwich train station and the shopping of Greenwich Avenue beyond, this is not a country hotel.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of station
Noun
  • The deadly mass shooting at a school in British Columbia came as Canadian authorities face significant obstacles in rolling out a nationwide firearms buyback that is mired in practical and logistical complications.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Over the next 10 years, the Goo Goo Dolls would follow a trajectory of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and increasingly unlikely triumphs that more closely resembles a fictional underdog team from a Disney movie than a rock band.
    — Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of obstacle

Phrases Containing stop

Browse Nearby Words

stoop (to)
stop
stop (by)
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Cite this Entry

“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stop. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stop

Nglish: Translation of stop for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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