cease
1 of 2verb
ˈsēs 
ceased; ceasing
transitive verb
: to cause to come to an end especially gradually : no longer continue
they were forced to cease operations
cease to exist
intransitive verb
1
a
: to come to an end
the fighting gradually ceased
b
: to bring an activity or action to an end : discontinue
they have been ordered to cease and desist
2
obsolete : to become extinct : die out
cease
2 of 2noun
: cessation —usually used with without
I kept an eye upon her without cease
R. L. Stevenson
R. L. Stevenson
Synonyms
Verb
- break off
- break up
- close
- conclude
- dead-end
- determine
- die
- discontinue
- elapse
- end
- expire
- finish
- go
- halt
- lapse
- leave off
- let up
- pass
- quit
- stop
- terminate
- wind up
- wink (out)
Noun
- arrest
- arrestment
- cessation
- check
- close
- closedown
- closure
- conclusion
- cutoff
- discontinuance
- discontinuation
- end
- ending
- expiration
- finish
- halt
- lapse
- offset
- shutdown
- shutoff
- stay
- stop
- stoppage
- surcease
- termination
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The fighting along the border has temporarily ceased. The factory ceased operations last year. The child would not cease his constant whining. Noun worked without cease for the betterment of humanity
Recent Examples on the Web Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2022 After nearly two decades, the Chrysler 300 will cease production following the 2023 model year. Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 13 Sep. 2022 French tableware brand Duralex will cease production on Nov. 1 after 77 years as energy costs increase. John Leicester, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Sep. 2022 The first phase of the $1.8 million project will cease airport operations until Sept. 16 and require active air operations to move to other regional airfields. Anna Kaminski, oregonlive, 7 Sep. 2022 As a result of Warner Bros. Discovery deciding that certain series are not worth keeping on HBO Max, these shows essentially now cease to exist. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 22 Aug. 2022 Farmers might cease growing some crops, leaving fields of lettuce and melons to turn to dust. Kathleen Ronayne, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 At that point, all pre-registration offers will cease and new user promos will become available. Xl Media, cleveland, 12 Aug. 2022 Once the team comes close to reaching capacity, Rossa said, these recruitment efforts cease. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 David S. Cloud, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2022 Any deal is likely to require a cease-fire along the route. Marc Santora, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Fighting erupted Wednesday near the Tigrayan border in Ethiopia, ending a months-long cease-fire and launching a new phase in a civil war that has had devastating humanitarian consequences. Rachel Chason, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 Political divisions within the West have diminished since this spring, when leaders from France, Germany and Italy called for an early cease-fire in Ukraine. Marcus Walker, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Paul Goldman, NBC News, 14 Aug. 2022 Only a week ago Israel and Palestinian militants had reached a cease-fire to end three days of fighting in the Gaza Strip that left dozens of people dead, including children. Vivek Shankar, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Ilan Ben Zion, ajc, 14 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire stopped the fighting, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and injured dozens in a shootout that took place during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Landon Mion, Fox News, 14 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
But with her passing, Britain can cease its search. Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2022 After nearly two decades, the Chrysler 300 will cease production following the 2023 model year. Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 13 Sep. 2022 French tableware brand Duralex will cease production on Nov. 1 after 77 years as energy costs increase. John Leicester, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Sep. 2022 The first phase of the $1.8 million project will cease airport operations until Sept. 16 and require active air operations to move to other regional airfields. Anna Kaminski, oregonlive, 7 Sep. 2022 As a result of Warner Bros. Discovery deciding that certain series are not worth keeping on HBO Max, these shows essentially now cease to exist. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 22 Aug. 2022 Farmers might cease growing some crops, leaving fields of lettuce and melons to turn to dust. Kathleen Ronayne, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 At that point, all pre-registration offers will cease and new user promos will become available. Xl Media, cleveland, 12 Aug. 2022 Once the team comes close to reaching capacity, Rossa said, these recruitment efforts cease. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 Noun
But after Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a senior Shia religious leader, brokered a deal to end the fighting, Mr. Sadr withdrew and agreed to a cease-fire. David S. Cloud, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2022 Any deal is likely to require a cease-fire along the route. Marc Santora, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Fighting erupted Wednesday near the Tigrayan border in Ethiopia, ending a months-long cease-fire and launching a new phase in a civil war that has had devastating humanitarian consequences. Rachel Chason, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 Political divisions within the West have diminished since this spring, when leaders from France, Germany and Italy called for an early cease-fire in Ukraine. Marcus Walker, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Paul Goldman, NBC News, 14 Aug. 2022 Only a week ago Israel and Palestinian militants had reached a cease-fire to end three days of fighting in the Gaza Strip that left dozens of people dead, including children. Vivek Shankar, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Ilan Ben Zion, ajc, 14 Aug. 2022 A day after the cease-fire stopped the fighting, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and injured dozens in a shootout that took place during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Landon Mion, Fox News, 14 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English cesen, from Anglo-French cesser, from Latin cessare to hold back, be remiss, frequentative of cedere
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing cease
Kids Definition
cease
verb
ˈsēs
ceased; ceasing
: to come or bring to an end : stop
The talking ceased.
ceases 1 of 2
verb
1
as in stops
to come to an end the rain finally ceased, and we were able to continue the baseball game Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stops
- ends
- expires
- halts
- concludes
- terminates
- dies
- discontinues
- passes
- closes
- goes
- determines
- finishes
- elapses
- quits
- lapses
- breaks off
- winds up
- stalls
- leaves off
- breaks up
- lets up
- suspends
- stays
- pauses
- winks (out)
- dead-ends
- abates
- bites the dust
- desists (from)
- breaks down
- cuts out
- refrains (from)
- knocks off
- packs (up or in)
- gives over
- winds down
- lays off (of)
- conks (out)
- peters (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continues
- persists
- hangs on
- extends
- prolongs
- protracts
- draws out
2
as in ends
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end cease chattering and get down to work, please Synonyms & Similar Words
- stops
- ends
- halts
- quits
- discontinues
- suspends
- suspends
- concludes
- delays
- drops
- breaks
- finishes
- breaks off
- shuts off
- completes
- cuts off
- lays off
- cuts out
- leaves off
- calls
- breaks up
- gives over
- knocks off
- packs (up or in)
- desists (from)
- impedes
- cans
- deactivates
- has done with
- obstructs
- pauses
- hinders
- suppresses
- stays
- puts the kibosh on
- blocks
- holds
- ruins
- dissolves
- abolishes
- aborts
- detains
- destroys
- stems
- checks
- blockades
- kills
- squelches
- turns back
- scuttles
- holds back
- annuls
- demolishes
- squashes
- arrests
- stamps
- dams
- brakes
- snuffs
- clamps down
- closes (down)
- stunts
- kiboshes
- staunches
- stanches
- reins (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continues
- progresses
- proceeds
- advances
- keeps up
- impels
- actuates
- runs on
- propels
- stirs
- follows through (with)
- drives
- carries on
ceases
2 of 2noun
as in halts
the stopping of a process or activity worked without cease for the betterment of humanity Synonyms & Similar Words
- halts
- cessations
- ends
- closes
- endings
- stops
- stays
- closures
- finishes
- conclusions
- discontinuances
- shutdowns
- terminations
- stoppages
- arrests
- lapses
- offsets
- pauses
- discontinuations
- closedowns
- cutoffs
- expirations
- shutoffs
- checks
- surceases
- arrestments
- interruptions
- suspensions
- phaseouts
- breaks
- standstills
- mop-ups
- layoffs
- moratoriums
- letups
- abeyances
- moratoria
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continuations
- prolongations
- continuances
- extensions
- persistences