desist

verb

de·​sist di-ˈsist  -ˈzist 

dē-

desisted; desisting; desists

intransitive verb

: to cease to proceed or act

a court order to desist from selling the product

desistance

di-ˈsi-stən(t)s  -ˈzi- 

dē-

noun

Synonyms

• stop
• cease
• end
• halt
• quit
• lay off
• cut off

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

The homeowner had sold approximately 29,000 tickets for about $10 each before the state issued its cease-and-desist order. —Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 10 Sep. 2025

The Food and Drug Administration sent out approximately 100 cease-and-desist enforcement letters, as well as thousands of warning letters to inform companies the agency is prioritizing enforcement. —Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025

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

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

Phrases Containing desist

• cease and desist
• cease and desist order

Rhymes for desist

• assist
• blacklist
• booklist
• checklist
• consist
• dismissed
• enlist
• exist
• insist
• oocyst
• persist
• resist

Kids Definition

desist

verb

de·​sist di-ˈsist  -ˈzist 

: to stop something one is doing