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
  • Trump signed an order May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding NPR and PBS.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • The company has ceased production and distribution of the products as FDA and the company continue their investigation to correct the issue with the manufacturer.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • Places like Burger King and Taco Bell did venture into chicken wraps at one point, but eventually discontinued them from the menu.
    Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 6 June 2025
  • Apple took a similar stab at this idea in the early days of the iPhone with Game Center, which still exists as a service in the background on modern Apple devices but was discontinued as a standalone app quite a few years ago.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • On September 2, Border Force officers had stopped two women at London Stansted Airport.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Goldman Sachs and Nasdaq have both stopped requiring companies using them for an IPO to have diverse board members.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • In fact, a 2019 Aflac survey of over 1,600 American adults found that 53% reported halting use of company products because of disliking a company’s stance on an issue.
    Lauren Howe, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • As the protest grew more rowdy, several Waymo autonomous vehicles were set on fire in the downtown area, prompting the company to halt service to downtown LA.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • If one or more teams are level at the end of the group stage, their finishing position will be determined by points obtained in the matches between the sides in question, not goal difference, like at the World Cup.
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • But the Sox finished 27th in the majors in attendance last year, averaging 17,931 per home game.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • Last year, officials agreed to terminate an agreement with the Sweetwater Union School District that had given the public access to Mar Vista’s swimming pool.
    Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • Walmart is also terminating some of its employees in Florida and Texas, Bloomberg reported, after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end temporary protections for certain migrant groups.
    Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Bowling Green concludes the regular season November 25 at UMass, the team’s only trip outside the region, though like the other 11 games is in the Eastern Time Zone.
    Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
  • The Hurricanes conclude the 2025 season with a 35-27 overall record, including a 15-14 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play, and reached their first Super Regional since 2016.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desist. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!