quit 1 of 2

Definition of quitnext
1
as in to leave
to give up (a job or office) he decided to quit his job at the fast-food restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
as in to succumb
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) tried to persuade his daughter to remain at home, but eventually he just quit and let her go out on her own

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
7
as in to pay
to give what is owed for eager to quit all debts before starting married life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
9

quit

2 of 2

adjective

as in free
no longer burdened with something unpleasant or painful I am finally quit of that terrible task

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word quit distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of quit are cease, desist, discontinue, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When is it sensible to use cease instead of quit?

The words cease and quit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 desist a more appropriate choice than quit?

While the synonyms desist and quit are close in meaning, desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When would discontinue be a good substitute for quit?

While in some cases nearly identical to quit, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When could stop be used to replace quit?

In some situations, the words stop and quit 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 quit
Verb
After working in the steel mill himself, Stocklas quit and entered public life, eventually serving in the county council and as a district judge. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2026 The standout chef has his reasons for quitting. Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 26 June 2026 Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a massive nationwide study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that smokeless alternatives could increase the risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine altogether. Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 Some have stayed, some have changed positions, and some have quit or retired. Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for quit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quit
Verb
  • The video assistant referee called for a review of the play while the two were down getting tended to by trainers, leaving the Americans to nurse their lead down a man for the rest of the game.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Two of the attackers then smashed the windshield of the news van with a parking cone and damaged the camera before leaving the scene.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • According to the American Medical Association, 78% of physicians report that prior authorization delays have led patients to abandon recommended treatment.
    Venkata Ramya Ganti, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Later that day, deputies found her van abandoned in a field near Interstate 95, but Graham had seemingly vanished without a trace.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • When there was a pause in the action, referee Raphael Claus stopped the match to look at VAR to determine whether Balogun committed a foul worthy of a red card.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Making new friends isn’t something that has to stop at a certain point in your life.
    Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Sydney briefly, and understandably, succumbed to the impulse to lash out, something that Carmy has done on more than one occasion while acting as head chef.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene, while Andrew succumbed to his injuries six days later.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Sony Interactive Entertainment, the largest video game company in the world by direct revenue, will reportedly cease production of physical discs for its formidable library of games for the PlayStation console.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Founder David DeHaney, who set up the company in 2016, announced the decision to cease trading and appoint an administrator on Thursday.
    K.J. Yossman, Variety, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The goal is to brighten—not shrink or damage—your fabrics, so pay special attention to heat sensitivity and fiber type.
    Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
  • In California, drivers pay some of the highest prices in the country.
    Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Around the time a helicopter carrying a newlywed couple departed from their North Georgia wedding venue, the skies were potentially rainy and foggy with a 200-foot cloud ceiling, federal officials said in a preliminary safety report about the deadly crash.
    Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • Developed by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the colossal structure departed its assembly site in Zhuhai on Sunday, June 28.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Being a pro athlete doesn’t exempt you from behaving respectfully in society.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • But Dumont wanted to look beyond insects to find out know how the spindle behaves in mammalian cells like ours.
    Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quit. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on quit

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster