desist

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 In the study, Littman and colleagues interviewed 78 Americans who previously identified as transgender but desisted in that identity. Ian Kingsbury, National Review, 9 Jan. 2024 That Israel desist from the removal and resettlement of Palestine refugees in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 and from the destruction of their shelters. Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 12 Dec. 2023 Tonatiuh Guillén, a former head of Mexico’s immigration agency, said the new system could succeed in persuading migrants to desist from the trip to the U.S. border. Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 13 May 2023 The annual winter spike in pollution in Delhi and its neighborhood can be reduced if farmers of nearby states are paid to desist from burning farm stubble, a new study suggests. Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 6 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for desist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desist
Verb
  • However, this does not mean that nuclear waste storage has ceased to be an issue.
    Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Disney investors on Thursday voted down a proposal that the entertainment giant cease its participation in a prominent LGBTQ rights organization’s equality ratings program.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The company discontinued operations of its subsidiary Race Day Mortgage, Inc. in December 2023 due to low loan demand and lack of profitability.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
  • TikTokers posted about rumors that the cake slices were being discontinued and that the full cakes would stick to the original recipe.
    Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The water tank is a great place to stop and eat a pack lunch.
    John Meyer, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Here are 3 reasons why leaders – political as well as corporate – should stop talking about themselves and others as players in a game.
    Pia Lauritzen, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Judge Boasberg temporarily blocked the Trump administration from using the law on Sunday, halting deportations for at least 14 days and directed that flights already in the air be turned around.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
  • After court battles earlier this month, a federal judge temporarily halted Hoffman's execution by nitrogen gas last week, issuing a preliminary injunction to stop the state from immediately carrying out his death sentence.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For much of that extraordinary season, when Newcastle also finished fourth in the Premier League, Isak and Wilson pushed each other on, but for the final, neither was in prime shape.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • By mid-April, Fresno residents can expect a few chilly showers before finishing the month with a rush of warm, sunny weather, according to the forecast.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This type of agreement allows either a worker or their employer to terminate their employment for any reason.
    Matthew Kaufman, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP A lawsuit alleges the Trump cuts are unlawful, and that DOGE exceeded its authority But last month, about two-thirds of those nonprofits — 66 — received letters from HUD terminating about half of the agency's fair-housing grants, some $30 million in all.
    Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Schlossberg concluded his video by again mocking Rogan for his height.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2025
  • An investigation led by Chief Justice Earl Warren concluded that Oswald acted alone in shooting Kennedy, but the probe has been widely criticized by academics and historians in the 62 years since the assassination.
    Stefan Becket, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Desist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desist. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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