Cease — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈsēs/

Meaning & Definition of Cease

Cease (verb)

  1. to cause to come to an end especially gradually, no longer continue
  2. to come to an end
  3. to bring an activity or action to an end, discontinue

Cease (noun)

  1. cessation —usually used with without

Cease (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come to an end

    "the rain finally ceased, and we were able to continue the baseball game"

    similar: 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), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

  2. to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end

    "cease chattering and get down to work, please"

    similar: break, break off, break up, can (slang), cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, give over, halt, knock off, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut off, stop, have done with, put the kibosh on
    related: complete, conclude, finish, close (down), deactivate, block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem, call, suspend, arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back, pause, stay, abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuff
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on, advance, proceed, progress, actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

Cease (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the stopping of a process or activity

    "worked without cease for the betterment of humanity"

    similar: 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
    related: mop-up, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
    opposite: continuance, continuation
    near: extension, persistence, prolongation

Related Entry: Cease-fires (noun)

Cease-fires is a different word from Cease. The synonyms below are for cease-fires, not for cease.

  1. a temporary stopping of fighting

    "the two armies declared a cease-fire for the holiday"

    similar: armistices, truces
    related: accords, reconcilements, reconciliations, détentes, peaces, peacetimes
    near: conflicts, hostilities, hot wars, wars

Related Entry: Ceasefire (noun)

Ceasefire is a different word from Cease. The synonyms below are for ceasefire, not for cease.

  1. a temporary stopping of fighting

    "The two armies declared a ceasefire for the holiday."

    similar: armistice, truce
    related: accord, reconcilement, reconciliation, détente, peace, peacetime
    near: conflict, hostilities, hot war, war

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cease

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cease:

Slang: can
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), break, cut off, cut out, desist (from), drop, give over, knock off, lay off, pack (up or in), shut off, bite the dust, have done with, put the kibosh on, arrest, arrestment, cessation, check

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cease

Words with the opposite meaning of Cease:

continue, hang on, persist, continuance, continuation

Related Words for Cease

lay off (of), refrain (from), break down, conk (out), stall, pause, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down, complete, close (down), deactivate, block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem, call, brake, clamp down, rein (in), squash

Near Antonyms of Cease

draw out, extend, prolong, protract, carry on, follow through (with), keep up, run on, advance, proceed, progress, actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir, extension, persistence, prolongation

Word Forms of Cease

Inflections: ceased, ceasing

Origin & Etymology of Cease

Middle English cesen, from Anglo-French cesser, from Latin cessare to hold back, be remiss, frequentative of cedere

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cease

Words & Phrases Containing Cease

cease and desist order, cease and desist, never cease to amaze, wonders never cease, ceasefire

Frequently Asked Questions about Cease

What does "Cease" mean?

"Cease" means to cause to come to an end especially gradually, no longer continue. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to cause to come to an end especially gradually, no longer continue. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cease"?

Other words for "Cease" include break off, break up, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die and discontinue. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cease" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cease"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cease". Common alternatives include break off, break up, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse and end.

What is the opposite of "Cease"?

Antonyms of "Cease" include continue, hang on, persist, continuance and continuation. Near antonyms include draw out, extend, prolong and protract.

How do you use "Cease" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cease" in a sentence: "the rain finally ceased, and we were able to continue the baseball game"; "cease chattering and get down to work, please"; "worked without cease for the betterment of humanity".

Is "Cease" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cease" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Cease" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Cease" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Cease"?

"Cease" is pronounced /ˈsēs/.