Synonyms of stops

stops 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stop

1

as in ceases

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 & Similar Words

• ceases
• halts
• ends
• quits
• drops
• concludes
• breaks
• finishes
• suspends
• discontinues
• delays
• breaks off
• shuts off
• lays off
• cuts off
• checks
• packs (up or in)
• leaves off
• desists (from)
• cuts out
• has done with
• breaks up
• pauses
• blocks
• completes
• knocks off
• gives over
• cans
• stays
• puts the kibosh on
• suppresses
• holds
• deactivates
• ruins
• hinders
• obstructs
• closes (down)
• aborts
• impedes
• calls
• stems
• destroys
• detains
• dissolves
• brakes
• arrests
• kills
• holds back
• stamps
• turns back
• blockades
• abolishes
• scuttles
• squelches
• reins (in)
• squashes
• stunts
• demolishes
• clamps down
• dams
• snuffs
• kiboshes
• annuls
• stanches

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continues
• proceeds
• progresses
• runs on
• carries on
• advances
• drives
• keeps up
• stirs
• follows through (with)
• impels
• propels
• actuates

2

as in halts

to bring (something) to a standstill

traffic was stopped for over an hour by the overturned truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• halts
• stalls
• catches
• blocks
• stays
• arrests
• checks
• hinders
• suspends
• stills
• pulls up
• brings up
• ends
• draws up
• impedes
• holds
• obstructs
• holds up
• stems
• concludes
• balks
• snags
• terminates
• fetches up
• detains
• clogs
• holds back
• baffles
• cuts off
• discontinues
• suppresses
• calls
• dams
• blockades
• turns back
• bottlenecks
• reins (in)
• represses
• squashes
• stunts
• squelches
• chokes off
• stanches

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continues
• persists
• keeps (on)
• moves
• runs on
• carries on
• proceeds
• progresses
• keeps up
• follows through (with)
• advances
• fares
• marches
• pushes
• goes along
• drives
• stirs
• propels
• spurs
• actuates
• wends
• impels
• goads
• budges

3

as in fills

to close up so that no empty spaces remain

I stopped the mouse hole with plaster

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fills
• packs
• plugs
• blocks
• stuffs
• seals
• dams
• obstructs
• jams
• congests
• occludes
• chokes
• closes (off)
• bungs
• clogs
• clots
• caulks
• chinks
• restuffs
• repacks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• excavates
• scoops (out)
• shovels
• hollows (out)

4

as in ends

to come to an end

the music stopped but we kept on dancing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ends
• ceases
• halts
• concludes
• expires
• passes
• terminates
• finishes
• goes
• dies
• closes
• stalls
• determines
• discontinues
• lapses
• breaks off
• elapses
• quits
• winds up
• leaves off
• breaks up
• winks (out)
• lets up
• pauses
• dead-ends
• stays
• bites the dust
• suspends
• refrains (from)
• packs (up or in)
• desists (from)
• breaks down
• cuts out
• lays off (of)
• gives over
• knocks off
• abates
• conks (out)
• winds down
• peters (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continues
• persists
• hangs on
• extends
• prolongs
• draws out
• protracts

5

as in overcomes

to achieve a victory over

they were eventually stopped by the best team in the league

Synonyms & Similar Words

• overcomes
• defeats
• takes
• masters
• beats
• gets
• conquers
• dispatches
• subdues
• licks
• surmounts
• succeeds
• prevails (over)
• trims
• triumphs (over)
• wins (against)
• gets around
• gets the better of
• finishes
• bests
• overbears
• overmatches
• upends
• does down
• sweeps
• overwhelms
• worsts
• buries
• skunks
• surpasses
• crushes
• slaughters
• exceeds
• breaks
• upsets
• excels
• flattens
• scores
• annihilates
• knocks for a loop
• bombs
• tops
• routs
• whips
• blows out
• flourishes
• clobbers
• blows away
• caps
• thrashes
• smokes
• edges (out)
• noses out
• pips
• transcends
• overpowers
• subjugates
• vanquishes
• overthrows
• wallops
• trounces
• creams
• waxes
• unseats
• outstrips
• outshines
• outdoes
• knocks over
• eclipses
• skins
• shellacs
• drubs
• knocks off
• outdistances
• snows under
• overtops
• betters
• outfights
• aces (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loses (to)
• falls
• goes down
• fails
• goes under
• collapses
• gives up
• folds
• flops
• washes out
• flunks

stops

2 of 2

noun

plural of stop

1

as in breaks

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 & Similar Words

• breaks
• pauses
• rests
• stopovers
• layovers

2

as in stations

a regular stopping place

had lunch on a picnic table at a shady rest stop along the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stations
• depots
• way stations
• terminals
• stopovers
• layovers
• outstations

3

as in obstacles

something that makes movement or progress difficult

pulled out all the stops and presented the most spectacular show ever

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obstacles
• hurdles
• obstructions
• barriers
• embarrassments
• lets
• blocks
• interferences
• cramps
• loads
• impediments
• clogs
• hindrances
• chains
• balks
• stumbling blocks
• constraints
• shackles
• inhibitions
• encumbrances
• burdens
• hitches
• handicaps
• drags
• deterrents
• bars
• trammels
• manacles
• delays
• brakes
• catches
• fetters
• rubs
• snags
• crimps
• restraints
• holdbacks
• stone walls
• arrests
• blockades
• curbs
• stoppages
• stalls
• dangers
• reins
• disadvantages
• brick walls
• blockages
• hobbles
• checks
• hazards
• difficulties
• embargoes
• perils
• bits
• holdups
• hardships
• reefs
• drawbacks
• cumbers
• adversities

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incentives
• stimuli
• spurs
• catalysts
• stimulants
• breaks
• advantages
• edges
• goads
• benefits
• help
• aids
• impetuses
• boosts
• assistances
• handmaidens

4

as in cessations

the stopping of a process or activity

put a stop to this nonsense

Synonyms & Similar Words

• halts
• cessations
• endings
• ends
• closes
• ceases
• conclusions
• stays
• finishes
• closures
• shutdowns
• stoppages
• arrests
• offsets
• pauses
• discontinuances
• terminations
• checks
• cutoffs
• lapses
• shutoffs
• expirations
• discontinuations
• arrestments
• closedowns
• surceases
• suspensions
• interruptions
• breaks
• phaseouts
• standstills
• mop-ups
• moratoriums
• layoffs
• letups
• abeyances

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continuations
• continuances
• extensions
• prolongations
• persistences

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stops

Verb

Last week, when Ocasio-Cortez made three campaign stops for Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, neither Democrat — and no audience members — brought up the topic of Gaza. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026

In January 2025, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch changed the department pursuit policy, barring cops from chasing after vehicles fleeing car stops unless a felony crime or a violent misdemeanor was committed. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026

The clock stops on a first down in college football when its under two minutes to go in a half. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Responsibility that stops at the corporate entity isn’t responsibility. — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

When an autonomous response stops for human approval, this becomes part of the security equation. — Asaf Wiener, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Other landmark stops on the schedule include Notre Dame, Yankee Stadium, Chicago’s Solder Field, Iowa’s Field of Dreams and Cooperstown, New York. — Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026

When a character stops acting on behalf of himself and instead makes a choice to act on behalf of the welfare of another person, the story suddenly evokes a sheaf of nobler feelings. — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

For me, that's when a portable power station stops being just an emergency backup and becomes a practical tool for genuine energy independence. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

Noun

Fifth-year cornerback Jaden Mickey made some big stops, including a pass breakup, while the defensive front produced four sacks for 37 yards and seven tackles for loss. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026

At some point, however, Heritage needed a few defensive stops. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026

Variable-frequency drives regulate lifting, rotation, and jib movement, enabling smoother starts and stops and finer adjustments when positioning heavy components. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Panarin beat rusty backup Semyon Varlamov glove side twice, and Darcy Kuemper kept making stops even as his rebound control was lacking, finishing with 41 saves. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

But no public photos or campaign stops with the two together of them have emerged since. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

One of his stops was the Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Arizona stands out as the lone swing state among the president's recent stops, though the airport rally was in a county Trump won with 78% of the vote in 2024. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

During three different stops Thursday on his Senate campaign’s bus tour through redder, rural areas of this swing state, El-Sayed and Ocasio-Cortez drew crowds that showed notable star power. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026