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

Real proprietary trading should be a path, not a pit stop. —Daniel Schlaepfer, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025

This triggered an early pit stop, because of how quickly the tire was degrading, and his race became a surprise two-stopper. —Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 2 June 2025

Verstappen, however, had already done three pit stops and did not have a soft tire left. —Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025

Another fan made a pit stop on his drive from Charlotte to Boston just to celebrate outside of the Garden. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 30 May 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