come to a grinding halt
idiom
of a machine
: to stop working or moving forward
The machinery came to a grinding halt.
—often used figurativelyThe project came to a grinding halt.
Examples of come to a grinding halt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The central bank is also tightening monetary policy sharply, with key rates also at decades-high levels and growth having come to a grinding halt.
—
Reuters, CNN, 26 Jan. 2023
Life doesn’t often come to a grinding halt.
—Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 10 July 2022
Economic activity has come to a grinding halt in Sri Lanka, and citizens continue to endure hours-long daily power outages, as the country struggles to buy fuel.
—Anusha Ondaatjie, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022
Wisconsin saw rapid growth in state spending on grants, loans and scholarships to undergraduate students between 2000 and 2011, but that has since come to a grinding halt and ultimately declined by half a percentage point in the decade since.
—Devi Shastri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2022
As Kat considers breaking up with Ethan again, her story line has come to a grinding halt in comparison to her expansive arc last season.
—Iana Murray, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2022
Lockwood’s debut follows a social media star whose absurdist travails online come to a grinding halt when a gutting tragedy hits IRL.
—Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2021
Likewise, post-production nationwide would come to a grinding halt without the 8,600 editors represented by Local 700.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Sep. 2021
That is a clear signal that the construction of pipelines could come to a grinding halt during the Biden administration.
—Scott Waldman, Scientific American, 28 Jan. 2021
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.
Reuters, CNN, 26 Jan. 2023
Life doesn’t often come to a grinding halt.
—Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 10 July 2022
Economic activity has come to a grinding halt in Sri Lanka, and citizens continue to endure hours-long daily power outages, as the country struggles to buy fuel.
—Anusha Ondaatjie, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022
Wisconsin saw rapid growth in state spending on grants, loans and scholarships to undergraduate students between 2000 and 2011, but that has since come to a grinding halt and ultimately declined by half a percentage point in the decade since.
—Devi Shastri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2022
As Kat considers breaking up with Ethan again, her story line has come to a grinding halt in comparison to her expansive arc last season.
—Iana Murray, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2022
Lockwood’s debut follows a social media star whose absurdist travails online come to a grinding halt when a gutting tragedy hits IRL.
—Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2021
Likewise, post-production nationwide would come to a grinding halt without the 8,600 editors represented by Local 700.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Sep. 2021
That is a clear signal that the construction of pipelines could come to a grinding halt during the Biden administration.
—Scott Waldman, Scientific American, 28 Jan. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near come to a grinding halt
Cite this Entry
“Come to a grinding halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20to%20a%20grinding%20halt. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share