as in cessations
the stopping of a process or activity
yet another stoppage in play for some unexplained reason
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Recent Examples of stoppages
The second half at Lumen Field didn’t feature as many stoppages, but Seattle scored again on the way to a 2-0 win over Colorado.
—
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 23 Feb. 2026
Back on opening day of the ride, all went well for a couple of hours, then stoppages led to 300-minute waits.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
There's no official start time, and the time Bad Bunny takes the stage depends on clock stoppages, penalties, timeouts and injuries during the first half of the game.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
While there’s no official start time, the time Bad Bunny takes the stage will depend on clock stoppages, penalties, timeouts and injuries during the game itself.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
The first bill, called the AV Safety Data Act, would require NHTSA to mandate AV vehicle data such as miles traveled, injuries involving human drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists and unplanned stoppages.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
After a fast-paced, high-scoring first half, the second half slowed considerably and featured frequent stoppages.
—Jayden Gonzalez, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
And as potent a weapon as corners and free kicks undoubtedly are for Arsenal, all those stoppages are not conducive to the type of high-energy football that teams chasing a goal — and teams chasing a league title — usually favour.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The stoppages helped the Mavericks gain momentum, leading to a 11-0 run over the next two minutes to help Dallas pull away.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 23 Feb. 2026
Back on opening day of the ride, all went well for a couple of hours, then stoppages led to 300-minute waits.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
There's no official start time, and the time Bad Bunny takes the stage depends on clock stoppages, penalties, timeouts and injuries during the first half of the game.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
While there’s no official start time, the time Bad Bunny takes the stage will depend on clock stoppages, penalties, timeouts and injuries during the game itself.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
The first bill, called the AV Safety Data Act, would require NHTSA to mandate AV vehicle data such as miles traveled, injuries involving human drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists and unplanned stoppages.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
After a fast-paced, high-scoring first half, the second half slowed considerably and featured frequent stoppages.
—Jayden Gonzalez, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
And as potent a weapon as corners and free kicks undoubtedly are for Arsenal, all those stoppages are not conducive to the type of high-energy football that teams chasing a goal — and teams chasing a league title — usually favour.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The stoppages helped the Mavericks gain momentum, leading to a 11-0 run over the next two minutes to help Dallas pull away.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stoppages
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
-
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
Noun
-
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
-
Whereas a total solar eclipse is often associated with clean breaks or definitive endings, an annular eclipse often points to processes that unfold in stages.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This was always considered to be one of those shutdowns that would not hit the American people personally for a while.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In past shutdowns, enrollment was disrupted and lines grew longer, but the lanes and kiosks themselves remained open.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The union representing correctional officers quickly opposed the recommendation in a Monday afternoon statement, arguing that permanent closures present fiscal and operational risks to California.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
But theater owner trade group Cinema United and the Writers Guild of America have warned that further consolidation would further concentrate the entertainment business, bringing more layoffs and theater closures.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stoppages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stoppages. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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