desist

Synonym Chooser

How is the word desist distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of desist are cease, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When would cease be a good substitute for desist?

Although the words cease and desist have much in common, 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 is it sensible to use discontinue instead of desist?

The meanings of discontinue and desist largely overlap; however, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When might quit be a better fit than desist?

While the synonyms quit and desist are close in meaning, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When could stop be used to replace desist?

In some situations, the words stop and desist 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 desist Usually, cease-and-desist letters were sufficient. Bernard Leca, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025 In other developments, state police officers Sunday night served cease-and-desist orders on strikers at their homes, Miller said. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2025 The result of a cease-and-desist from Tig Notaro 28. Vulture Staff, Vulture, 18 Feb. 2025 The official said on Friday that WhatsApp had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter following the hack. Raphael Satter and James Pearson, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for desist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desist
Verb
  • Seven of the health facilities that Save the Children had supported in the region have fully closed, and 20 more have partly ceased operations.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
  • Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself is thought to be operating from an underground bunker and has ceased communicating electronically, delaying his ability to guide the rest of the regime’s leaders.
    Dana Stroul, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Ford discontinued the Timberline after the 2024 model year.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 30 June 2025
  • Rates of patients who discontinued the drug due to side effects were high, ranging from 10% to 29% within different groups that took it.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Paul Goldschmidt had one of just three Yankees hits in Saturday’s 7-0 loss to the A’s, but that didn’t stop him from sharing some self-depreciation after the game.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 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
Verb
  • Pelinka also engineered the splendid undrafted free agent signing that was Austin Reaves, which led to the Lakers finishing this season as the third seed in the West.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
  • Mark worked in the advertising industry After finishing high school, Mark attended Texas Christian University.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • In contrast, ports like Miami and Port Canaveral are among the world’s busiest turnaround ports, where cruises originate and terminate, and full ship servicing takes place between sailings.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The Trump administration sought to dismantle USAID, terminating thousands of contracts and placing workers on leave.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 July 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

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Cite this Entry

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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