grind to a halt
idiom
of a machine
: to stop working or moving forward
The machinery slowly ground to a halt.
—often used figurativelyWithout more money, work on the project will soon grind to a halt.
Examples of grind to a halt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Without this initiative by my office, the work of the property tax system would have ground to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—
Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
First, our food system would grind to a halt without our immigrant neighbors and friends who work hard to build livelihoods for their families.
—Danielle Nierenberg, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
This is not a suggestion that the transfer market should grind to a halt and that new players cannot enhance a team.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
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Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
First, our food system would grind to a halt without our immigrant neighbors and friends who work hard to build livelihoods for their families.
—Danielle Nierenberg, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
This is not a suggestion that the transfer market should grind to a halt and that new players cannot enhance a team.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
Cite this Entry
“Grind to a halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20to%20a%20halt. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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