stop 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈstäp How to pronounce stop (audio)
Definition of stopnext
1
as in to cease
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

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2
as in to halt
to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain I stopped the mouse hole with plaster

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to end
to come to an end the music stopped but we kept on dancing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to overcome
to achieve a victory over they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stop

2 of 4

noun

1
as in break
a brief halt in a journey our guide called for a stop at the trail hut so we could eat and rest a bit

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2
as in station
a regular stopping place had lunch on a picnic table at a shady rest stop along the highway

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3
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult pulled out all the stops and presented the most spectacular show ever

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4
as in halt
the stopping of a process or activity put a stop to this nonsense

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stop (by or in)

3 of 4

verb (2)

as in to visit
to make a brief visit stop by on your way to the game so we can go there together

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stop (up)

4 of 4

verb (3)

as in to block
to prevent passage through by filling with something clear the leaves out of the rain gutters so they don't stop up the downspouts again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stop distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of stop are cease, desist, discontinue, and quit. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

In what contexts can cease take the place of stop?

While in some cases nearly identical to stop, 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 can desist be used instead of stop?

In some situations, the words desist and stop are roughly equivalent. However, desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When could discontinue be used to replace stop?

The meanings of discontinue and stop largely overlap; however, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is quit a more appropriate choice than stop?

Although the words quit and stop have much in common, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

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 stop
Verb
Children’s said that the plaintiffs were attempting to force it to stop granting admitting privileges to physicians who refused to offer gender-affirming care, which would ultimately harm patients. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 15 July 2026 Curaçao It’s also not known if the Curaçao team stopped anywhere in Kansas City, but others from the country had the chance to join in preparation for the team coming to the city. — Zuri Primos july 15, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Noun
For many architecture buffs, the very first stop on a trip to Illinois is the Frank Lloyd Wright Oak Park Home and Studio, the architect’s primary residence from 1889 until 1909. — River Davies, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2026 The company intends to create a festival-like atmosphere at each stop, with teams having their own sponsors and content accessible to fans around the world. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stop
  1. cease
  2. halt
  3. fill
  4. end
  5. overcome
  6. break
  7. station
  8. obstacle
Verb
  • Under the proposal, the academy could cease operations for roughly seven months after the January 2028 class, which would let the department temporarily reassign more than 300 officers from its training division.
    — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Furthermore, the centralized App Store infrastructure means third-party applications would cease to function if Apple's servers are no longer active.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of cease
Verb
  • Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to halt more energy export routes from the Middle East in response to the US military reimposing a naval blockade of ships going to and from Iranian ports.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • In the wake of two fatal shootings days apart, Immigration and Customs Enforcement temporarily halted attempts to arrest undocumented immigrants by pulling them over in their cars.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 15 July 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Workers in hard hats and mountains of dirt fill empty lots directly across from the new restaurants.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2026
  • The Grammy winner performed 12 shows beginning in mid-June, making history by filling one of the world's great venues a dozen times.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of fill
Verb
  • That came after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching strikes on an airport in the Yemeni capital and warned the attacks would end a years-long de facto truce between the two sides.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • If, by chance, Mbappe and Messi were to end the tournament with an equal number of goals and assists, the award would go to the player who achieved those goals/assists in the fewest number of minutes.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of end
Verb
  • After scoring in Mexico’s opening match against South Africa — his first goal at a World Cup — Jimenez was overcome with emotion on the pitch.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • To be able to feel and touch the community of Cologne, and this person who suffered that ordeal and overcame it — and then managed to carry out the courage of her convictions with Ukrainian refugees.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • The Rangers will have one final game before the All-Star break against the Astros and will look to regain momentum.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 11, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2026
  • Last year at the All-Star break, the Sox were 32-65 and 27 games back in the AL Central.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • Stay Informed - Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite weather news station.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
  • Soli said several heat safety measures are in place, including mandatory hydration breaks during games, additional hydration stations and medical staff on every field who will monitor conditions and shorten games by five to ten minutes a half.
    — Ubah Ali, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Definition of station
Noun
  • Permitting — more than access to capital — is the main obstacle to building out the global energy system, the heads of the natural resources group at JP Morgan’s investment bank write today.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 July 2026
  • Finding locations with sufficient grid capacity has become a primary obstacle for technology companies building new facility hubs.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of obstacle

Phrases Containing stop

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stoop (to)
stop
stop (by)
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Cite this Entry

“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stop. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stop

Nglish: Translation of stop for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stop

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