stop

1 a brief halt in a journey our guide called for a stop at the trail hut so we could eat and rest a bit Synonyms layover, stopover Related Words break, pause, rest

2 a regular stopping place had lunch on a picnic table at a shady rest stop along the highway Synonyms station, way stationRelated Words depot, terminal; layover, stopover; outstation

3 something that makes movement or progress difficult pulled out all the stops and presented the most spectacular show ever Synonyms balk, bar, block, chain, clog, cramp, crimp, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, fetter, handicap, hindrance, holdback, hurdle, impediment, inhibition, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, shackles, encumbrance, stumbling block, trammelRelated Words catch, hitch, rub, snag; barrier, blockade, blockage, brick wall, stone wall; arrest, bit, brake, check, constraint, curb, hobble, rein, restraint; embargo, stoppage; delay, holdup, stall; burden, cumber, load; danger, hazard, peril, reef; adversity, difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, hardshipNear Antonyms catalyst, goad, impetus, incentive, spur, stimulant, stimulus; advantage, break, edge; aid, assistance, benefit, boost, handmaiden (also handmaid), help

4 the stopping of a process or activity put a stop to this nonsense Synonyms arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, ending, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, end, stoppage, surcease, terminationRelated Words mop-up, phaseout; abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspensionNear Antonyms extension, persistence, prolongationAntonyms continuance, continuation

1 to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the manufacturer will stop selling the toy and will immediately recall all the units that have already been sold Synonyms break, break off, break up, can [slang], cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, give over, halt, knock off, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut off Related Words complete, conclude, finish; close (down); deactivate; block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem; call, suspend; arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch (or staunch), stunt, suppress, turn back; pause, stay, suspend; abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuff Phrases have done with, put the kibosh on Near Antonyms carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on; advance, proceed, progress; actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

2 to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck Synonyms arrest, bring up, catch, check, draw up, fetch up, hold up, pull up, stall, stay, still, haltRelated Words baffle, balk, block, blockade, bottleneck, clog, dam, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, obstruct, snag, stem; conclude, cut off, end, terminate; call, discontinue, suspend; choke off, rein (in), repress, squash, squelch, stanch (or staunch), stunt, suppress, turn backNear Antonyms carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep (on), keep up, persist, run on; advance, fare, go along, march, move, proceed, progress, wend; actuate, budge, drive, goad, impel, propel, push, spur, stir

3 to close up so that no empty spaces remain I stopped the mouse hole with plaster Synonyms block, bung, dam, pack, plug, fill, stuffRelated Words choke, clog, close (off), clot, congest, jam, obstruct, occlude; caulk, chink, seal; repack, restuffNear Antonyms excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), shovel

4 to come to an end the music stopped but we kept on dancing Synonyms break off, break up, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, cease, terminate, wind up, wink (out)Related Words desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from); give over [British], knock off, pack (up or in); break down, conk (out), cut out, stall; pause, stay, suspend; abate, peter (out), wind downNear Antonyms draw out, extend, prolong, protractAntonyms continue, hang on, persist

5 to achieve a victory over they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league Synonyms best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down [British], get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, beat, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worstRelated Words sweep; edge (out), nose out, pip [British]; annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke [slang], snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax [slang], whip; cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed; knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish; ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcendNear Antonyms fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash outAntonyms lose (to)