full stop

noun

chiefly British

: a point . used to show the end of a sentence or an abbreviation : period sense 5a

… the full stop after the roman numeral …

—Eric Korn

He found that a full stop expressed his feelings too violently, and wrote the letter again, for the fifth time …

—Anthony Trollope

… ordered the initials 'F. C. W. K.,' with the customary untrained grape-vine-looking flourishes, and a large full stop, to be engraved forthwith.

—Charles Dickens

—used interjectionally to emphasize the finality of the preceding statement

… when it comes to parenting she's the boss, full stop.

—Pamela Druckerman

Examples of full stop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many are choosing to work in more flexible capacities for longer and viewing retirement less as a full stop and more as a transition to new frontiers, including philanthropy, advisory roles, and entrepreneurship. —Alex Ohnona, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025

John Candy was a great actor, full stop. —Paul Myers, Air Mail, 11 Oct. 2025

Everyone in the Jets building wants to win, full stop. —Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

While neither saw a full stop for departures and arrivals, both saw significant delays, as did Dallas Love Field Airport, which reported one-hour delays. —Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for full stop

• atop
• backdrop
• backstop
• bebop
• blacktop
• bookshop
• clatsop
• desktop
• eavesdrop
• estop
• hardtop
• hilltop