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

Think of it as your go-to pit stop before or after soaking up the wonders of Arrowhead Stadium. — Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026

Cheese Importers is a particularly convenient pit stop for travelers headed from metro Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 21 July 2026

Ferrari has been fined €30,000 ($34,314; £25,508) for an unsafe release after Lewis Hamilton accidentally hit a mechanic during a pit stop at the Belgian Grand Prix. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Make a pit stop at Elliniko Kafeneio in Ermoupoli for an afternoon pick-me-up piece of portokalopita; explore the winding streets of Ano Syros in the evenings. — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 17 July 2026

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