cease 1 of 2

verb

ˈsēs How to pronounce cease (audio)
Definition of ceasenext
1
as in to stop
to come to an end the rain finally ceased, and we were able to continue the baseball game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to halt
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end cease chattering and get down to work, please

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cease

2 of 2

noun

as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity worked without cease for the betterment of humanity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cease distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of cease are desist, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," 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 cease?

The words desist and cease can be used in similar contexts, but desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

In what contexts can discontinue take the place of cease?

The synonyms discontinue and cease are sometimes interchangeable, but discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When is it sensible to use quit instead of cease?

While in some cases nearly identical to cease, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When would stop be a good substitute for cease?

In some situations, the words stop and cease are roughly equivalent. However, stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

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 cease
Verb
Guillard's claims continued even after Scofield's lawyers sent her a cease-and-desist order, after Moscow police publicly stated the professor was not a suspect — and even after police arrested Bryan Kohberger in connection with the crimes. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 The long nightmare might be over for South African producers, whose industry has been crippled for more than two years by the paralysis of a rebate program that for all intents and purposes had ceased to function. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding with an immediate cease fire this week after four months of hostilities. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 19 June 2026 Oil shipments from Venezuela cease to Cuba. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cease
  1. stop
  2. halt
  3. cessation
  4. expire
  5. end
  6. ending
  7. conclude
  8. quit
Verb
  • That has left many companies unable to stop the theft of American IP and made investment riskier.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Project Nessie was intended to stop retail price-matching practices from creating unsustainably low prices, the e-commerce giant said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Another Supreme Court case made injunctions — the court orders that companies historically relied on to halt patent infringement — significantly harder to secure.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Reyes said that additional removals must halt while the case, filed by the DC Preservation League and two golfers earlier this year in hopes of stopping the renovation, underwent further review.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of halt
Noun
  • Abrupt cessation of this class can even trigger a rebound worse than baseline.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Similarly, access to smoking-cessation treatment and harm-reduction resources varies substantially from country to country.
    — Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • Her status as a special envoy expired last month without renewal, and she has now been moved to another role.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2026
  • With a pending lockout, expiring player contracts and possible retirements, who knows what the future will hold.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of expire
Verb
  • The second was collapsing supermassive stars, which end their lives as supernovae.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But little progress has been made towards implementing a deal to end the conflict that includes terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of end
Noun
  • Spanish police have recovered three religious artworks stolen from churches in Valladolid over the summer, bringing the case one step closer to a miraculously happy ending.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Lil’ Randy shouts repeatedly as he is hauled off, a great ending to a pretty great episode.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ending
Verb
  • Both the United States and a United Nations investigation concluded that the shootdown happened over international waters.
    — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The arrest, the official explained, came after the Attorney General’s Office concluded that there had been misconduct in an April operation in which state officials dismantled a clandestine drug-manufacturing laboratory.
    — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Theo was thinking about quitting his job to start his own business, which meant, for a time, no income.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Lonely employees are roughly twice as likely to quit their job.
    — Jordan Dunin, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of quit

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Cite this Entry

“Cease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cease. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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