Definition of QUIT

Choose the Right Synonym for quit

Verb

stop, cease, quit, discontinue, desist mean to suspend or cause to suspend activity. stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness. stopped at the red light cease applies to states, conditions, or existence and may add a suggestion of gradualness and a degree of finality. by nightfall the fighting had ceased quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing. the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice. we have discontinued the manufacture of that item desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing. desisted from further efforts to persuade them

Is it quit or resign?

Adjective

Should you quit or should you resign from your job? No matter which one you choose, it is likely that both of these actions will have the exact same effect on your future, as they are, in this sense, fairly synonymous. However, each is more likely to be found used in specific settings, so you may wish to choose your word with care. Resign is more formal, and will often be found when a person is describing relinquishing a position or office, especially if it is done in disgrace. While it would not be incorrect to say that a member of an organization's board, a king or queen, or a political leader "quit their position," it is more likely that the word resign would be employed.

Examples of quit in a Sentence

Verb

She quit college after one semester. She decided to quit show business. He quit teaching after five years. Many workers are quitting because of poor pay. She hates her job and she's thinking about quitting. She quit smoking years ago. I wish you would quit bothering her. We're going to quit for the day. It's too hot to keep working.

Adjective

I am finally quit of that terrible task.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Proud Souls BBQ & Provisions Two friends who love barbecue decided to quit the 9-to-5 grind and turn their hobby into a business — that’s how Proud Souls was born. — Sarah Kuta, The Know, "5 Colorado spots to take BBQ classes so you can become a pitmaster," 6 June 2019 Joe’s disposition isn’t helped by the fact Kevin won’t quit quoting Thrones. Turns out, though, Joe’s not the only brother having trouble coming to terms with the series’ conclusion. — Ruth Kinane, EW.com, "The Jonas Brothers are just as sad Game of Thrones is over as you are," 6 June 2019 Martin Neil Baily, an economist at the Brookings Institution who is leading a research project on retirement security, notes that quitting a career can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, particularly for men. — Michelle Cheng, Quartz at Work, "The number of Americans working in their 70s is skyrocketing," 3 June 2019 Our military personnel are under a binding agreement with the U.S. and can’t quit at will without being prosecuted. — WSJ, "Fix the VA, but Honor the Military Contract," 7 Apr. 2019 These women made the benefits of quitting drinking sound awesome. — Laura Anderson, Glamour, "Quitting Drinking Didn’t Make All My Dreams Come True," 15 May 2019 Employee morale is down, calls for quitting Facebook are growing louder, and the founders of two of its most popular products — WhatsApp and Instagram — have resigned. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Facebook’s very bad year, explained," 21 Dec. 2018 That change was a recognition that many pregnant women with a history of drug abuse take prescribed opioids — methadone or buprenorphine — to manage their cravings, prevent withdrawal, and avoid the miscarriage risk of quitting opioids cold turkey. — Marie Mccullough, Philly.com, "Pa. law aims to protect newborns of moms in opioid addiction," 29 June 2018 Not just from quitting the Cedar Hill football team at the age of 15 to focus on boxing. — Clarence E. Hill Jr., star-telegram, "The dream goes on: IBF champ Errol Spence Jr. plans to dazzle at home at the Ford Center," 15 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And, there is the constant speculation Swinney will replace Nick Saban when Alabama’s coach decides to call in quits. — Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al.com, "How Dabo Swinney’s ‘I am kinda like Osama bin Dabo (in Alabama)' quote came up months later," 11 June 2019 At least 25 quit, while others were dismissed or took jobs elsewhere in the network. — Leslie Brody, WSJ, "Son of Success Academy Founder Filling in as a Teacher at One of Her Schools," 27 Aug. 2018 Diana and Charles would ultimately call it quits after their marital woes became public and their divorced was finalized in 1996. — Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, "Prince Harry says Camilla is 'not a wicked stepmother,' book claims," 3 Aug. 2018 When 25% or more of extra-milers’ contacts start asking for more access to them, their quit rate soars to twice levels typical for managers in comparable jobs. — Sue Shellenbarger, WSJ, "The Downside of Carrying the Most Weight at Work," 29 Jan. 2019 Twitter launched an internal investigation into Mr. Kroll’s behavior after a star female Vine engineer quit, according to a former senior Twitter executive. — Yoree Koh, WSJ, "The Tech Whiz Behind Vine and HQ Trivia Made Millions in His 20s. He Was Dead by 34.," 15 Feb. 2019 The retired Marine general quit in late December in protest of Trump’s policies. — Robert Burns, The Seattle Times, "New Pentagon chief makes global debut with status uncertain," 11 Feb. 2019 One group received literature about the benefits of quitting along with positive encouragement to quit smoking (less than 1% of those quit for six months). — Sarah Gray, Fortune, "Money Is the Best Motivator for People to Quit Smoking, New Study Finds," 25 May 2018 The rate of quits holding steady despite extremely low unemployment could suggest that American workers are growing a bit more cautious about the labor market at time when employers are moving ahead with hiring plans, Mr. Wright said. — Eric Morath, WSJ, "Job Openings Push Further into Record Territory at End of 2018," 12 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.