Halting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈhȯl-tiŋ/ halt·ing

Meaning & Definition of Halting

Halting (adjective)

  1. marked by a lack of sureness or effectiveness

Halting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in uncertain, faltering

    similar: ambivalent, conflicted, doubtful, faltering, indecisive, infirm, irresolute, questioning, skeptical, uncertain, undecided, unsure, vacillating, wavering, wobbly, diffident, insecure, uneager, unenthusiastic, cagey, disinclined, dubious, hesitant, indisposed, loath, reluctant, reticent
    opposite: decided, decisive, determined, resolute, unquestioning, assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, certain, convinced, positive, sure, ready, willing, disposed, inclined

Halting (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in ending, termination

    similar: abolishment, abolition, ending, stopping, termination, annulment, invalidation, neutralization, nullification, voidance, giving up, relinquishment, surrender, abandonment, abortion, calling, calling off, cancellation, dropping, recall, recision, repeal, rescission, revocation, reversal, rollback
    opposite: continuation, beginning, commencement, initiation, engagement, undertaking

Halting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "traffic was halted by the parade"

    similar: arresting, bringing up, catching, checking, drawing up, fetching up, holding up, pulling up, stalling, staying, stilling, stopping
    related: baffling, balking, blockading, blocking, bottlenecking, clogging, damming, detaining, hindering, holding, holding back, impeding, obstructing, snagging, stemming, concluding, cutting off, ending, terminating, calling, discontinuing, suspending, choking off, reining (in), repressing, squashing, squelching, stanching, stunting, suppressing, turning back
    near: carrying on, continuing, following through (with), keeping (on), keeping up, persisting, running on, advancing, faring, going along, marching, moving, proceeding, progressing, wending, actuating, budging, driving, goading, impelling, propelling, pushing, spurring, stirring

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

    "the private eye abruptly halted his surveillance of the building upon being spotted by his subject"

    similar: breaking, breaking off, breaking up, canning (slang), ceasing, cutting off, cutting out, desisting (from), discontinuing, dropping, ending, giving over, knocking off, laying off, leaving off, packing (up or in), quitting, shutting off, stopping, having done with, putting the kibosh on
    related: completing, concluding, finishing, closing (down), deactivating, blockading, blocking, damming, delaying, detaining, hindering, holding, holding back, impeding, kiboshing, obstructing, stemming, calling, suspending, arresting, braking, checking, clamping down, reining (in), squashing, squelching, stamping, stanching, stunting, suppressing, turning back, pausing, staying, abolishing, aborting, annulling, demolishing, destroying, dissolving, killing, ruining, scuttling, snuffing
    near: carrying on, continuing, following through (with), keeping up, running on, advancing, proceeding, progressing, actuating, driving, impelling, propelling, stirring

  3. to come to an end

    "all filming halted when the star of the movie quit in a huff"

    similar: breaking off, breaking up, ceasing, closing, concluding, dead-ending, determining, discontinuing, dying, elapsing, ending, expiring, finishing, going, lapsing, leaving off, letting up, passing, quitting, stopping, terminating, winding up, winking (out), biting the dust
    related: desisting (from), laying off (of), refraining (from), giving over (British), knocking off, packing (up or in), breaking down, conking (out), cutting out, stalling, pausing, staying, suspending, abating, petering (out), winding down
    opposite: continuing, hanging on, persisting
    near: drawing out, extending, prolonging, protracting

  4. to walk while favoring one leg

    "even with her twisted ankle, she managed to halt along and complete her Walk for Peace"

    similar: hobbling, limping
    related: hitching, blundering, faltering, floundering, lurching, shambling, shuffling, staggering, stumbling, teetering, tottering, wavering, wobbling, doddering
    opposite: striding
    near: breezing, gliding, sailing

  5. to show uncertainty about the right course of action

    "she was often confused, halting between the responsibilities of her job and the demands of her home life"

    similar: balancing, dithering, faltering, hanging back, hesitating, scrupling, shilly-shallying, staggering, teetering, vacillating, wavering, wobbling
    related: hawing, hemming, dallying, dawdling, delaying, lingering, pausing, procrastinating, waiting, backing down, chickening (out), considering, debating, deliberating, pondering, weighing, oscillating, swaying, equivocating, hedging, pussyfooting, waffling
    opposite: diving (in), plunging (in)
    near: deciding, budging, stirring, advancing, continuing

Related Entry: Halt (verb)

Halt is a different word from Halting. The synonyms below are for halt, not for halting.

  1. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "traffic was halted by the parade"

    similar: arrest, bring up, catch, check, draw up, fetch up, hold up, pull up, stall, stay, still, stop
    related: baffle, balk, block, blockade, bottleneck, clog, dam, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, obstruct, snag, stem, conclude, cut off, end, terminate, call, discontinue, suspend, choke off, rein (in), repress, squash, squelch, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep (on), keep up, persist, run on, advance, fare, go along, march, move, proceed, progress, wend, actuate, budge, drive, goad, impel, propel, push, spur, stir

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

    "the private eye abruptly halted his surveillance of the building upon being spotted by his subject"

    similar: break, break off, break up, can (slang), cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, give over, 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

  3. to come to an end

    "all filming halted when the star of the movie quit in a huff"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, 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

Related Entry: Halt (verb)

Halt is a different word from Halting. The synonyms below are for halt, not for halting.

  1. to walk while favoring one leg

    "even with her twisted ankle, she managed to halt along and complete her Walk for Peace"

    similar: hobble, limp
    related: hitch, blunder, falter, flounder, lurch, shamble, shuffle, stagger, stumble, teeter, totter, waver, wobble, dodder
    opposite: stride
    near: breeze, glide, sail

  2. to show uncertainty about the right course of action

    "she was often confused, halting between the responsibilities of her job and the demands of her home life"

    similar: balance, dither, falter, hang back, hesitate, scruple, shilly-shally, stagger, teeter, vacillate, waver, wobble
    related: haw, hem, dally, dawdle, delay, linger, pause, procrastinate, wait, back down, chicken (out), consider, debate, deliberate, ponder, weigh, oscillate, sway, equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, waffle
    opposite: dive (in), plunge (in)
    near: decide, budge, stir, advance, continue

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Halting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Halting:

Slang: canning
ambivalent, conflicted, doubtful, faltering, indecisive, infirm, irresolute, questioning, skeptical, uncertain, undecided, unsure, vacillating, wavering, wobbly, diffident, insecure, uneager, unenthusiastic, cagey, disinclined, dubious, hesitant, indisposed, loath, reluctant, reticent, abolishment, abolition, ending, stopping, termination, annulment, invalidation, neutralization, nullification, voidance, giving up, relinquishment, surrender

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Halting

Words with the opposite meaning of Halting:

decided, decisive, determined, resolute, unquestioning, assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, certain, convinced, positive, sure, ready, willing, disposed, inclined, continuation, beginning, commencement, initiation, engagement, undertaking, continuing, hanging on, persisting, striding, diving (in), plunging (in)

Related Words for Halting

baffling, balking, blockading, blocking, bottlenecking, clogging, damming, detaining, hindering, holding, holding back, impeding, obstructing, snagging, stemming, suspending, choking off, reining (in), repressing, squashing, squelching, stanching, stunting, suppressing, turning back, completing, closing (down), deactivating, delaying, kiboshing

Near Antonyms of Halting

carrying on, following through (with), keeping (on), keeping up, running on, advancing, faring, going along, marching, moving, proceeding, progressing, wending, actuating, budging, driving, goading, impelling, propelling, pushing, spurring, stirring, drawing out, extending, prolonging, protracting, breezing, gliding, sailing, deciding

Word Forms of Halting

Derived words: haltingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Halting

First known use: 1585

Frequently Asked Questions about Halting

What does "Halting" mean?

"Halting" means marked by a lack of sureness or effectiveness. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: marked by a lack of sureness or effectiveness. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Halting"?

Other words for "Halting" include ambivalent, conflicted, doubtful, faltering, indecisive, infirm, irresolute and questioning. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Halting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Halting"?

There are 189 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Halting". Common alternatives include ambivalent, conflicted, doubtful, faltering, indecisive, infirm, irresolute, questioning, skeptical and uncertain.

What is the opposite of "Halting"?

Antonyms of "Halting" include decided, decisive, determined, resolute, unquestioning, assured, confident and sanguine. Near antonyms include carrying on, following through (with), keeping (on) and keeping up.

How do you use "Halting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Halting" in a sentence: "traffic was halted by the parade"; "the private eye abruptly halted his surveillance of the building upon being spotted by his subject"; "all filming halted when the star of the movie quit in a huff".

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

"Halting" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Halting"?

"Halting" is pronounced /ˈhȯl-tiŋ/ and divided into syllables as halt·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Halting"?

First known use: 1585.