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
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
The negotiations will be the first since the writers and actors strikes of 2023, and will likely revisit the concerns that animated those stoppages, such as AI and residuals on streaming platforms.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Campbell’s latter point is a big contributing factor to elevator stoppages at the Austin airport, according to Hey.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 23 Dec. 2025
For years, according to Jeff Edwards, founder and CEO of Energy Control Systems, operational teams across manufacturing, packaging, and processing environments have viewed stoppages as an unavoidable cost of doing business.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
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
The negotiations will be the first since the writers and actors strikes of 2023, and will likely revisit the concerns that animated those stoppages, such as AI and residuals on streaming platforms.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Campbell’s latter point is a big contributing factor to elevator stoppages at the Austin airport, according to Hey.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 23 Dec. 2025
For years, according to Jeff Edwards, founder and CEO of Energy Control Systems, operational teams across manufacturing, packaging, and processing environments have viewed stoppages as an unavoidable cost of doing business.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
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
-
There are five other Bridgerton siblings destined for happy endings.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
-
There’s something comforting about returning to the films that made the genre so beloved in the first place, where misunderstandings feel harmless and happy endings are practically guaranteed.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Recent changes narrowing the kinds of tasks agencies can perform when funding lapses also mean that shutdowns have the potential to hit a larger number of Americans more harshly than before, Abigail André, the executive director of the Impact Project, told me.—
Toluse Olorunnipa,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Tax deadlines do not change during government shutdowns, and people are still required to file returns by the deadline even if the government closes.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The closures come after a water pump failed in December at Oak Spring, which provides the sole water source to the Chisos Basin area, staff wrote on Facebook.—
Outside,
Outside,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Recently, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced school closures citing finances and declining enrollment as the main reasons families in those schools will be forced to find other options.—
Froylan Jimenez,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stoppages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stoppages. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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