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
The man accused of fatally shooting NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop in Queens two years ago was found not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of manslaughter and other charges.
—
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Nearly a year after a federal jury found that an Aurora police officer used excessive force against him during a 2020 traffic stop, George Gutierrez will be receiving $400,000 as part of a settlement agreement with the city of Aurora, in the resolution of a yearslong legal battle.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
According to a news release, a joint narcotics investigation led to Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducting a traffic stop on a semi tractor-trailer March 30.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Apr. 2026
The driver fled the traffic stop, leading deputies on a pursuit across the Napa County line into Solano County.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traffic stop
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Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Nearly a year after a federal jury found that an Aurora police officer used excessive force against him during a 2020 traffic stop, George Gutierrez will be receiving $400,000 as part of a settlement agreement with the city of Aurora, in the resolution of a yearslong legal battle.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
According to a news release, a joint narcotics investigation led to Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducting a traffic stop on a semi tractor-trailer March 30.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Apr. 2026
The driver fled the traffic stop, leading deputies on a pursuit across the Napa County line into Solano County.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for traffic stop
Cite this Entry
“Traffic stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic%20stop. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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