1
as in stops
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was halted by the parade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ceases
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ends
to come to an end
all filming halted when the star of the movie quit in a huff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in limps
to walk while favoring one leg
even with her twisted ankle, she managed to halt along and complete her Walk for Peace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitates
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in jams
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in cessations
the stopping of a process or activity
gardening came to a halt during the week of solid rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 halts
Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Debt consolidation does not carry a legal mechanism that immediately halts wage garnishment the way bankruptcy does, at least not in most forms.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
The decision halts an order by Kennedy — announced in January — to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
Live Nation is producing the trek, which halts next Wednesday, March 18 at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 12 Mar. 2026
The United States could suspend transfers of those funds unless Baghdad halts the financing of the PMF.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
This is music that halts the scroll and actively demands your attention.
—Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and defense attorneys agreed, in separate interviews with The Charlotte Observer, that the strategy halts cases and could jeopardize justice.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
The measure halts new admissions in rooms that already have two people; those already living in a room with three or four beds will not be forced to move.
—Jenna Carlesso, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Automotive industry analysts are forecasting that another microchip shortage could hit in the coming months, which could increase risks for production halts as costs skyrocket.
—Breana Noble, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Nerves of an energy crisis intensified over the weekend as oil producers in the Gulf announced further halts to production, with Bahrain’s national oil company declaring force majeure.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
The abrupt disruption resulted in chip shortages and production halts at several automakers.
—Sarah Jacob, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
Conflict in Yemen has prompted air traffic halts — leaving about 600 tourists stranded on a remote island.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
The fact that any soliloquy halts dramatic action also poses a challenge.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
Global oil prices have spiked as Iran halts traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Debt consolidation does not carry a legal mechanism that immediately halts wage garnishment the way bankruptcy does, at least not in most forms.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
The decision halts an order by Kennedy — announced in January — to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
Live Nation is producing the trek, which halts next Wednesday, March 18 at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 12 Mar. 2026
The United States could suspend transfers of those funds unless Baghdad halts the financing of the PMF.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
This is music that halts the scroll and actively demands your attention.
—Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and defense attorneys agreed, in separate interviews with The Charlotte Observer, that the strategy halts cases and could jeopardize justice.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
The measure halts new admissions in rooms that already have two people; those already living in a room with three or four beds will not be forced to move.
—Jenna Carlesso, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
Former leaders warn that the loss of institutional knowledge, combined with halts to the incoming pipeline of public health workers, may lead to a long-term crisis.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Automotive industry analysts are forecasting that another microchip shortage could hit in the coming months, which could increase risks for production halts as costs skyrocket.
—Breana Noble, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Nerves of an energy crisis intensified over the weekend as oil producers in the Gulf announced further halts to production, with Bahrain’s national oil company declaring force majeure.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
The abrupt disruption resulted in chip shortages and production halts at several automakers.
—Sarah Jacob, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
Conflict in Yemen has prompted air traffic halts — leaving about 600 tourists stranded on a remote island.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
The fact that any soliloquy halts dramatic action also poses a challenge.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for halts
Noun
-
Working with strict limitations—no more than five instruments; just one hour to make each track—the two West Coast leftfield vets turn out a surprisingly expansive set of wooly electronic jams.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And all shows and jams ceased to exist.—
Des Moines Register,
Des Moines Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Temporary cessations of hostility, but no permanent closing of the moral and social divide between debtor and creditor, and no giving up on the thought that some lives matter more than others.—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Having killed Downey, Amos cuts one of his deadlocks and puts it in Axel’s little red book.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
-
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for reform of the Security Council's permanent members in his annual statement on the anniversary of the United Nations charter, arguing that the current establishment excludes key global voices and suffers from too many deadlocks.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As Quibi learned the hard way, accelerated timelines rarely produce Hollywood endings.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Neither requires action because the endings to their stories have already been written.—
Charlie Tyrell,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet the homage to Badinter proved strikingly uncontroversial, with politicians from opposite ends of the political spectrum striving to claim him as one of their own.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Wyatt’s record-setting season ends at 17-8-1.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a lot of deus ex machina resolution of tight binds, things that happen off-screen and are waved away.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
All lottery entrants have an equal chance of selection, and results will be announced shortly after registration closes.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
After voting closes, the week’s winning piece is auctioned off, as an NFT, via the online marketplace SuperRare.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Victorian novels made good use of the predicaments of second and third sons, who had to become ministers or soldiers or schemers, and daughters who needed to be married off according to age.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Halts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/halts. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
