cease 1 of 2

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
When Minneapolis passed a local ordinance with very high minimum pay rates, ride-share companies Uber and Lyft threatened to cease operations, warning that dramatically higher prices would price out riders and leave drivers with fewer opportunities. Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 Vowles has also emphasized the importance of the upcoming changes to F1’s car design and engine regulations in 2026 as providing an opportunity for Williams to make another step up the championship order, prompting it to cease serious development on its 2025 car earlier than other teams. Luke Smith, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Noun
The family is requesting that such misinformation cease, and that respect be shown for the memory of their mother. Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2025 For Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine, this cold front could prove to be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back in how any cease fire negotiations with Russia might ultimately play out. Daniel Markind, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cease
Verb
  • Without any consequences, this autocratic politician will continue to push the limits of his authority beyond the breaking point until someone forces him to stop.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2025
  • Trying to stop the runaway, Jeff was knocked to the concrete and sustained a fractured skull and other life-threatening injuries that left him in a coma for weeks.
    Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • Environmental concerns about the airport’s impact on the Everglades halted plans to develop the facility further in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
  • That plan would halt roughly $522 billion in investments, many of which are based in red states.
    Elena Moore, NPR, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
  • This cessation would have come immediately after these raids were getting started in earnest.
    The Editors, National Review, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Messi left at the end of that season, his contract allowed to expire, while Neymar also departed.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • But that’s because in the TCJA, many of the tax benefits for individuals were set to expire at the end of 2025, while the corporate tax breaks were largely permanent.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Despite stocks dipping slightly after President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. would end all trade talks with Canada, the S&P 500 recovered to close at a record high -- 6,173.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 June 2025
  • Last month, the Supreme Court allowed the administration to end the work permits and deportation protections of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans TPS recipients.
    June 27, CBS News, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • This ending brought a sense of closure to Marge, who is now in heaven with Beatles member Ringo Starr.
    Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 25 June 2025
  • Haliburton, by virtue of his framed quote, thinks about new endings often.
    Tony East, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Hong Kong concluded its stablecoin consultation in early 2025, signaling a shift toward regulatory recognition in Asia.
    Elizabeth Rossiello, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The judge also concluded that the balance of hardships favors the imposition of an injunction.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • In April alone, 3.2 million Americans quit their jobs.
    Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • To say the quiet part out loud: many athletes have previously felt that choosing to have a child meant having to quit.
    L'Oréal Blackett, Refinery29, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cease. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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