pit stop

noun

1

: a stop at the pits during an automobile race

2

a(1)

: a stop (as during a trip) for fuel, food, or rest or for use of a restroom

(2)

: a temporary deviation from a direct or usual course

a career pit stop … where he worked temporarily in between TV jobs

—Mark Lorando

b(1)

: a place where a pit stop is or can be made

(2)

: an establishment providing food or drink

Examples of pit stop in a Sentence

We made a pit stop for some food before getting back on the highway.

This little town is an ideal pit stop between the two cities.

Recent Examples on the Web

So what is the impact of a pit stop now gets more and more important. —Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025

Doganieri confirmed that no other pit stops take place off-camera. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025

Since gas stations tend to be a good parking spot for local food trucks, there is no shortage of taco trucks at Southern pit stops. —Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2025

However, other concerns arose, such as another slow pit stop for Norris. —Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pit stop

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

Kids Definition

pit stop

noun

1

: a stop at the pits during an automobile race

2

a

: a stop (as during a trip) for fuel, food, or rest or for use of a restroom

b

: a place where a pit stop is or can be made