desist

verb

de·​sist di-ˈsist How to pronounce desist (audio) -ˈzist How to pronounce desist (audio)
dē-
desisted; desisting; desists

intransitive verb

: to cease to proceed or act
a court order to desist from selling the product
desistance noun
Choose the Right Synonym for desist

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 desist in a Sentence

Despite orders from the police, the protesters would not desist.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After expanding its burgeoning sports business through a partnership with Robinhood, the two platforms received cease-and-desist letters from the New Jersey and Nevada governments, who weren’t amused by the semantic argument. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025 By contrast, not a single one of the dozens of sweepstakes casino platforms which received over 100 cease-and-desist letters in the aggregate were willing to challenge even one of those demands in court. Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 After, the tech giant sent a cease-and-desist, which was allegedly ignored. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2025 Other artists – some who have sent cease-and-desist letters or threatened suits - include Aerosmith, Beyoncé, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Foo Fighters, Guns N' Roses, Elton John, Linkin Park, Panic! Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for desist

Word History

Etymology

Middle English desisten, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French desister, desistier, borrowed from Latin dēsistere "to leave off, cease," from dē- de- + sistere "to cause to stand, assume a standing position, place, check, halt" — more at assist entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desist. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

desist

verb
de·​sist di-ˈsist How to pronounce desist (audio) -ˈzist How to pronounce desist (audio)
: to stop something one is doing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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