discontinue

verb

dis·​con·​tin·​ue ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-(ˌ)yü 

discontinued; discontinuing; discontinues

transitive verb

1

: to break the continuity of : cease to operate, administer, use, produce, or take

2

: to abandon or terminate by a legal discontinuance

intransitive verb

: to come to an end

discontinuation

ˌdis-kən-ˌtin-yə-ˈwā-shən 

-yü-ˈā-

noun

Synonyms

• break
• break off
• break up
• can [slang]
• cease
• cut off
• cut out
• desist (from)
• drop
• end
• give over
• halt
• knock off
• lay off
• leave off
• pack (up or in)
• quit
• shut off
• stop

Choose the Right Synonym for discontinue

stop, cease, quit, discontinue, desist 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

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

quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

Examples of discontinue in a Sentence

He discontinued his visits to the psychiatrist.

She chose to discontinue her studies.

The company has announced that the current model will be discontinued next year.

They are planning to discontinue bus service between the two towns.

Recent Examples on the Web

In response to the regulatory uncertainty and expected cost increases, GM discontinued its 2025 guidance, which did not take tariffs into account; suspended stock buybacks; and delayed its quarterly investor call by two days until Thursday. —Michael Wayland,michele Luhn, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025

Doing so would expand access to affordable coverage—something that would be particularly valuable to the increasing number of small-business employees whose employers have discontinued coverage. —Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

An Amber Alert issued Thursday for a missing 15-year-old girl from Tarrant County has been discontinued after the girl was found, officials said. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2025

Last Friday, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York discontinued the case after attorneys for both sides reported a settlement in principle had been reached between the two women and the defendants. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French discontinuer, from Medieval Latin discontinuare, from Latin dis- + continuare to continue

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for discontinue

• continue
• continuo

Kids Definition

discontinue

verb

dis·​con·​tin·​ue ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-yü 

1

: to cease to operate, use, produce, or take

will discontinue that product

2

: to bring or come to an end : stop

discontinued broadcast of my favorite show

discontinuance

-ˈtin-yə-wən(t)s

noun