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
One summer night in 1999, McChesney was conducting a traffic stop when a Crown Victoria – the sedan that dominated police fleets for decades – with exempt plates made a sudden U-turn and pulled up behind his patrol car.
—
Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Authorities were able to locate his vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop when Kyren led them on a pursuit before crashing his car.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Here are today's top stories A Detroit police officer has found himself in hot water after a weekend traffic stop near Van Dyke and Eight Mile ended with the woman behind the wheel being shot six times.
—Elissa Robinson, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Federal agents and agencies face lawsuits, including from a Chicago City Council member following her brief detainment at a hospital, and an ongoing case over accusations that agents have violated limits on how ICE can make arrests without warrants and during traffic stops.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for traffic stop
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Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Authorities were able to locate his vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop when Kyren led them on a pursuit before crashing his car.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Here are today's top stories A Detroit police officer has found himself in hot water after a weekend traffic stop near Van Dyke and Eight Mile ended with the woman behind the wheel being shot six times.
—Elissa Robinson, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Federal agents and agencies face lawsuits, including from a Chicago City Council member following her brief detainment at a hospital, and an ongoing case over accusations that agents have violated limits on how ICE can make arrests without warrants and during traffic stops.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
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 5 Nov. 2025.
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