surcease

1 of 2

verb

sur·​cease (ˌ)sər-ˈsēs How to pronounce surcease (audio)
ˈsər-ˌsēs
surceased; surceasing

intransitive verb

: to desist from action
also : to come to an end : cease

transitive verb

: to put an end to : discontinue

surcease

2 of 2

noun

sur·​cease ˈsər-ˌsēs How to pronounce surcease (audio)
(ˌ)sər-ˈsēs
: cessation
especially : a temporary respite or end
to borrow from my books surcease of sorrow E. A. Poe

Examples of surcease in a Sentence

Noun hoping the new medicine would bring surcease to his pain
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Terrible transgressions lead to worse ones, with no prospect of surcease, let alone moral regeneration. WSJ, 14 Feb. 2019 Anyone seeking temporary surcease from the rigors of the present moment will find it in abundance here. Terry Teachout, WSJ, 20 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surcease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sursesen, surcesen, from Anglo-French surceser, alteration of surseer, surseoir, from Latin supersedēre — more at supersede

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surcease was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near surcease

Cite this Entry

“Surcease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surcease. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

surcease

noun
sur·​cease
ˈsər-ˌsēs,
(ˌ)sər-ˈsēs
: a stopping of action
especially : a temporary halt

More from Merriam-Webster on surcease

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