cease 1 of 2

Definition of ceasenext

cease

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cease distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cease are desist, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," 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

When can desist be used instead of cease?

The words desist and cease can be used in similar contexts, but desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

In what contexts can discontinue take the place of cease?

The synonyms discontinue and cease are sometimes interchangeable, but discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is it sensible to use quit instead of cease?

While in some cases nearly identical to cease, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When would stop be a good substitute for cease?

In some situations, the words stop and cease are roughly equivalent. However, stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cease
Verb
This essentially means that, for under-16s, Snapchat ceases to function as a social media app and becomes something closer to a sophisticated messaging platform just for friends and family. Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Serious headwinds Last July, months after construction at the site ceased, giving way to 4-foot-tall weeds, Bryant said that although the company had raised $9 million from investors, the project ran into serious headwinds. Eric Adler june 18, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
Noun
He’s consistently maintained, though, that real, live goals from his first line would at some point cease to be optional. Sean Gentille, New York Times, 3 June 2026 However, operators often hide behind fictitious or stolen identities and fail to comply with cease-and-desist letters; meanwhile, hosting servers are often untraceable, shielded by anonymization techniques or by being located in countries where legal enforcement is extremely difficult. Emma Woollacott, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cease
Verb
  • Chisholm scored on Jose Caballero's RBI groundout in the fourth inning before hitting a two-run homer in the sixth as New York ended a three-game losing streak and stopped Detroit's four-game winning streak.
    CBS News, CBS News, 24 June 2026
  • Disneyland officials said a cast member immediately stopped the ride.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Park officials routinely held fireworks displays in the early 2000s, but halted them in part because of wildfire fears.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • The recent military action tested an initial agreement that was supposed to halt hostilities during 60 days of negotiations.
    Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Starting an exercise program, eating better, smoking cessation -- these are all examples of behaviors that require serious commitment to implement and maintain.
    Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 21 June 2026
  • Tehran insists that the deal’s implementation start with a cessation of all fighting — including between Israel and Hezbollah.
    Victoria Eastwood, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Picking the right spots will become as important as ever, especially as more legacy contracts expire.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 23 June 2026
  • The California Children’s Education and Health Care Protection Act of 2026 would indefinitely extend an existing tax on couples who make above $680,000 and individuals who make above $340,000 that’s currently set to expire in 2030.
    Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Soon after then-President Nicolás Maduro was captured by the US in January, Venezuela ended Cuba’s long-standing medical mission in the country, cutting off a key resource in underserved communities.
    Max Saltman, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • Kirby gave up a one-out double to Josh Lowe in the fifth but struck out the side — including Neto — to end the inning.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • But this Powerball story has a sad ending.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • The crowd of 42,056 was poised for another wacky Cubs-Brewers ending, though most of those who stuck around seemed to be road-tripping Cubs fans.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The bidding process that won AllHere the contract had concluded months before the Carvalho travel to Washington.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
  • The series is even, 1-1, and concludes Sunday afternoon.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • In it, Pearson delivered an opening monologue about his desire to quit dancing.
    Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • Two years into what was intended to be a seven-year apprenticeship, Walton quit and followed his siblings south.
    Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cease. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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