1
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was halted by the parade
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2
as in to cease
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the private eye abruptly halted his surveillance of the building upon being spotted by his subject
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3
as in to end
to come to an end
all filming halted when the star of the movie quit in a huff
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1
as in to limp
to walk while favoring one leg
even with her twisted ankle, she managed to halt along and complete her Walk for Peace
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2
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
she was often confused, halting between the responsibilities of her job and the demands of her home life
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1
as in standstill
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
negotiations are at a halt, with neither management nor the union budging on the issue of salary limits
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2
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity
gardening came to a halt during the week of solid rain
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of halt
Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Removing the dam has been a key goal of the Florida Defenders of the Environment since its founder, Marjorie Harris Carr, successfully lobbied then President Richard Nixon to halt construction of the canal project in 1971.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
And in December, some recipients of the Promise Neighborhoods and Full-Service Community Schools grants, which pay for academic and afterschool enrichment opportunities for students, were notified that their funding would not continue in 2026, bringing much of their work to a sudden halt.
—Dallas Morning News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for halt
Verb
Trailing in polls ahead of an April election, Orbán’s anti-Ukraine campaign has blocked EU sanctions on Russia and threatened to halt aid to Kyiv.
—Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Removing the dam has been a key goal of the Florida Defenders of the Environment since its founder, Marjorie Harris Carr, successfully lobbied then President Richard Nixon to halt construction of the canal project in 1971.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
The Roadrunners' momentum came to a screeching halt as the Bobcats won 7-2 behind a bullpen that stopped opposing batters from doing any meaningful damage.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
And in December, some recipients of the Promise Neighborhoods and Full-Service Community Schools grants, which pay for academic and afterschool enrichment opportunities for students, were notified that their funding would not continue in 2026, bringing much of their work to a sudden halt.
—Dallas Morning News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for halt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for halt
Noun
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Funding for the Department of Homeland Security is at a standstill as Senate Democrats and Republicans work through negotiations, with Democrats demanding stronger restrictions on immigration enforcement agencies.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Feb. 2026
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Advertisement Because of the downpour and related travel restrictions, much of the city ground to a standstill, with even Broadway cancelling all shows Sunday evening.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As my colleagues in public health have stated recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nicotine pouches can be an effective smoking cessation tool.—
Timothy Vermillion,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Yet despite that, research into what happens during this natural cessation of menstruation and why is limited.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These stir-together chocolate sandwich cookies are held together by a thin layer of raspberry jam.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Place about 1/2 teaspoon of jam or hazelnut spread in center of each circle.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But that ending went a beat too far.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
21 Feb. 2026
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Take a closer look at the United States women’s hockey team’s comeback victory against Canada, which will go down as one of the most exhilarating endings in Olympic history.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After a couple of months of deadlock with Board votes reaching a 3-3 tie in Salem’s absence, the Board in January finally broke that deadlock and gave preliminary approval to close Kingsley Elementary School.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Any emotional deadlock with someone close should pass in just hours.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Historically, Google searches for summer vacations peak at the end of March and beginning of April.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Queta’s work at both ends helped Boston extend its lead early in the second half.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And given that two cops are already sniffing around the Redfellows’ sudden propensity for premature expiration, Becket finds himself in quite a predicament.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
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Trump lamented how Mountbatten-Windsor’s predicament would affect Charles, who is expected to visit the US this year, likely in April.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As of Tuesday’s close, Lowe’s shares are up nearly 16% year to date, surpassing the S&P 500′s roughly 1% gains during the same period.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
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However, meeting with Love will break that trend as Dallas takes an up-close look at one of the top backfield weapons to come out in recent years.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/halt. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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