ceasefire

noun

cease·​fire ˈsēs-ˈfi(-ə)r 

variants or less commonly cease-fire

plural ceasefires also cease-fires

1

: a military order to cease firing

2

: a suspension of active hostilities

Synonyms of ceasefire

• truce
• accord
• armistice

Examples of ceasefire in a Sentence

the two armies declared a ceasefire for the holiday

Recent Examples on the Web

The discretion this time could conceal the next campaign against Iran … or the tensions around the next ceasefire. — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 28 July 2026

Brent crude climbed back above $100 a barrel last week after Houthi militants attacked two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, deepening a supply threat that had eased before the collapse of the Middle East ceasefire. — Anniek Bao,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 July 2026

Attempts by mediators to secure a 10-day ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz made no apparent progress. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 July 2026

The war restarted after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran, which each country blames the other for violating. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 27 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ceasefire

• acquire
• attire
• bonfire
• campfire
• conspire
• desire
• enquire
• entire
• greenbrier
• gunfire
• homebuyer
• misfire

Kids Definition

cease-fire

noun

ˈsēs-ˈfī(ə)r

: a temporary stopping of warfare