traffic stop

noun

plural traffic stops
: an instance of police stopping a driver (as for speeding or a broken taillight)
She was pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
an officer making a traffic stop

Examples of traffic stop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a trooper saw a car being driven recklessly shortly before midnight in the southbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway in Plano, and arrested Ezeiruaku after a traffic stop. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026 The trooper initiated a traffic stop to investigate, and the driver, identified as Ezeiruaku, was arrested. Briana Aldridge, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026 The incident in which Ross was dragged by an undocumented immigrant on June 17, 2025, occurred when the suspect fled during a traffic stop, pulling the officer along by his right arm. Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026 Several of those contacts occurred after officers encountered administrative warrants, most commonly during traffic stops and crashes. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for traffic stop

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of traffic stop was in 1953

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Traffic stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic%20stop. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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