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.
Crashes and traffic stops have led to shootings Traffic stops and car chases have long been considered some of the most dangerous of law enforcement activities, and indeed some of these crashes have led to injuries and death. Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025 Agents made a traffic stop before the man accelerated his truck backward into the ICE vehicle and drove off, according to court documents. Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025 He was arrested during a traffic stop in San Antonio. Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025 On New Year's Eve 2018, Oliver allegedly sprinted from the passenger seat of a vehicle during a traffic stop in Henderson and into a nearby neighborhood. Jon Webb, Evansville Courier & Press, 22 Oct. 2025 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 28 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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