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
Eventually, the label may cease to describe the experience and begin to organize it. — Sandro Da Silva, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The prosecutor general’s office has stopped updating crime data; the Treasury has ceased publishing detailed budget information; and the central bank has restricted disclosure of international reserves. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 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
  • The new rules mandated that referees stop play for a ten-minute hydration break that allows players to drink fluids, change clothes, or shower in their locker room.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The team stopped at 800 N because increasing the load further would require additional protective equipment, with a separate destructive limit test planned.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Tribes whose historic homelands fall within the forest became leading voices in the effort to halt logging, with the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ Priscilla Hunter emerging as a major force.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But since February, its progress has halted, said Leo Rossignac-Milon, the co-founder of Track My Visa, a third-party service that monitors applications for 25,000 users.
    — Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of halt
Noun
  • Those commitments should be included in a framework agreement, signed by all sides, which outlines the core elements of an eventual peace and enables a cessation of hostilities.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Texas law defines brain death as the irreversible cessation of brain function.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • Costs for consumers in the Affordable Care Act marketplace have soared amid expiring ACA premium subsidies, and insurance affordability poses a political threat to Republicans during upcoming midterm elections.
    — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But on a final attempt to tie the game with time expired, quarterback Cruz James was intercepted by TFA freshman Jaylen Johnson in the end zone to seal TFA’s victory.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of expire
Verb
  • However, the action may not end at 11pm — deal sheets allow clubs to conclude signings two hours after the transfer window closes, provided the correct paperwork is submitted before the deadline.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Amid a scorching stretch, Bregman ends the month with his lifetime total now sitting at two.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of end
Noun
  • At Mattel, cultural relevance came with a blockbuster ending.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier this summer, speculation regarding Ariana Grande’s weight and body image reached a fever pitch after the singer announced her retreat from public life following the ending of her ongoing tour next week.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ending
Verb
  • Still, several financial analysts have concluded that the prediction frenzy, with its sleek mobile apps and easy-to-understand odds, are driving the stock drops.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • An autonomous attacker does not care what an organization's SPRS score says, whether its dashboard is green or whether an assessment concluded that a control was implemented.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Craig, now a devoted granddad with a dry sense of humor, began working alongside his father at thirteen, quitting school even though teachers warned him that house moving was a dying trade.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Hep Spyder blamed Dwight for Buffo Carducci’s quitting on him back when Dwight was Hep’s tent boss.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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