stopped; stopping
1
a
: to close by filling or obstructing
b
: to hinder or prevent the passage of
c
: to get in the way of : be wounded or killed by
easy to stop a bullet along a lonely … road—
Harvey Fergusson
Harvey Fergusson2
3
4
b
5
a
: to deduct or withhold (a sum due)
b
: to instruct one's bank to refuse (payment) or refuse payment of (something, such as a check)
6
7
a
: to change the pitch of (something, such as a violin string) by pressing with the finger
b
: to change the pitch of (a wind instrument) by closing one or more finger holes or by thrusting the hand or a mute into the bell
8
: to hold an honor card and enough protecting cards to be able to block (a bridge suit) before an opponent can run many tricks
1
4
: to become choked : clog
the sink often stops up
2
a(1)
: a graduated set of organ pipes of similar design and tone quality
(2)
: a corresponding set of vibrators or reeds of a reed organ
(3)
: stop knob
—often used figuratively in phrases like pull out all the stops to suggest holding nothing back
b
: a means of regulating the pitch of a musical instrument
3
a
: something that impedes, obstructs, or brings to a halt : impediment, obstacle
b
: the aperture of a camera lens
also
: a marking of a series (as of f-numbers) on a camera for indicating settings of the diaphragm
c
: a drain plug : stopper
4
: a device for arresting or limiting motion
6
a
: a halt in a journey : stay
made a brief stop to refuel
b
: a stopping place
a bus stop
7
a
chiefly British
: any of several punctuation marks
b
—used in telegrams and cables to indicate a period
c
: a pause or break in a verse that marks the end of a grammatical unit
8
a
: an order stopping payment (as of a check or note) by a bank
b
9
: a consonant characterized by complete closure of the breath passage in the course of articulation compare continuant
10
: a depression in the face of an animal at the junction of forehead and muzzle
11
: a function of an electronic device that stops a recording
: serving to stop : designed to stop
stop line
stop signal
Synonyms
Examples of stop in a Sentence
Verb
She was walking toward me, and then she suddenly stopped.
The bus stopped at the corner.
He stopped to watch the sun set.
He stopped to pick up a penny.
The car was going so fast that it couldn't stop in time.
The traffic light turned red, so she had to stop.
Stop that man! He stole my wallet.
They stopped us at the border to check our passports.
She stopped the car and turned back.
He was stopped by the police for speeding.
Noun
His first stop will be Washington, D.C.
Our first stop has to be the gas station.
I need to make a stop at the grocery store on the way home.
The next stop is Main Street and Tower Square.
I'm getting off at the next stop.
Slow down as you approach the stop.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Johnny can’t stop holding onto his baggage with Kreese, but Daniel is dealing with something even bigger.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
But the train keeps going, and there are many happy stops on the way, as well.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Chris Willman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2024
After years of non-stop work, Maluma was tired.
—Rosy Cordero, EW.com, 7 Feb. 2021
See all Example Sentences for stop 
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.
Verb
Donations dwindle, while volunteers from the opposite side of the country stop coming or divert to another disaster.
—Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Johnny can’t stop holding onto his baggage with Kreese, but Daniel is dealing with something even bigger.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Noun
Several celebrities have been handcuffed by Carpenter during the L.A. stops of the Short n’ Sweet tour: Rachel Sennott was arrested on Night One and Marcello Hernandez came out as his SNL character Domingo on Night Two.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
But the train keeps going, and there are many happy stops on the way, as well.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Neither one was going to compared to his epic, tour-ending show right next door to the Mayan at the Belasco in January 2023, but both of these mid-tour L.A. stops were non-stop, sweat-soaked and proficiently frantic enough to feel more than sufficiently draining for any normal human person.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2024
After years of non-stop work, Maluma was tired.
—Rosy Cordero, EW.com, 7 Feb. 2021
See all Example Sentences for stop
Articles Related to stop
Dictionary Entries Near stop
Cite this Entry
“Stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stop. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stop
1 of 3 verb
stopped; stopping
1
: to close an opening by filling or blocking it : plug
nose stopped up by a cold
2
: restrain sense 1a, prevent
stopped me from going
3
: to interrupt or prevent from continuing or occurring : check
couldn't stop the noise
4
: to instruct one's bank not to pay
stop payment on a check
5
: to halt the movement or progress of
stop the car
6
: to change the pitch of (as a violin string) by pressing with the finger
7
a
: to bring action or operation to an end
the motor stopped
b
: to come to an end
sit down when the music stops
8
: to make a visit
stopping with friends for a week
stop
2 of 3 noun2
a
: a series of similar organ pipes that vary by pitch but have the same tone quality
b
: stop knob
—often used in phrases like pull out all the stops to suggest holding nothing back
3
: something that delays, blocks, or brings to a halt : impediment, obstacle
4
: a device for halting or limiting motion
the door was held open by a stop
5
: the act of stopping : the state of being stopped
the train was brought to a sudden stop
6
: a halt in a journey : stay
made a quick stop to refuel
7
: a stopping place
a bus stop
8
chiefly British
: any of several punctuation marks
9
: a consonant in the uttering of which there is a step (as in the "p" of "apt" or the "g" of "tiger") when the breath passage is completely closed
10
: a function of an electronic device that stops a recording
stop
3 of 3 adjective
: serving to stop : designed to stop
stop line
stop signal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share