STOP Synonyms: 338 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

stop 1 of 2

verb

ˈstäp

Definition of stop next

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

as in to halt

to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck

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as in to fill

to close up so that no empty spaces remain I stopped the mouse hole with plaster

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as in to end

to come to an end the music stopped but we kept on dancing

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as in to overcome

to achieve a victory over they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league

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stop

2 of 2

noun

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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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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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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as in halt

the stopping of a process or activity put a stop to this nonsense

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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

Examples 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

Perhaps the one thing people of all political standpoints can agree on this election season is that all these candidate ads need to stop. —

Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024 That future is now starting earlier than the coach planned at USC, with the Trojans desperate for any spark that might stop their disappointing season from snowballing any further. —

Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

Noun

First stop was an airplane hangar in East L.A., followed by a warehouse in Venice. —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 Sending rovers to another planet with no hope of maintenance or repair stops is a testament to the reliability and durability of this design. —

New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stop

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop

Verb

People also could order food online to pick up at different locations with the Order Ahead program, but that service will cease when the Feed Rogers building opens and people can shop for their own food again.

Gael Langdon, arkansasonline.com, 5 Nov. 2024
But as Trump’s presidency went on and his comments and actions didn’t cease to shock, Weymar and her Tiny Pricks community remained as emboldened as ever to bear witness to and record the political climate through craft.

Gabby Shacknai, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024