Word
cease
Meanings
to stop doing something; to discontinue an action
to come to an end; to stop happening
Definition
To cease means to stop doing something or to come to an end.
To cease is to stop an action or activity, or for something to end. It is often used in formal or serious contexts, such as instructions, rules, or public announcements. You can cease doing something, or something can cease on its own. It is close in meaning to “stop,” but usually sounds more formal.
Examples
- After a tense exchange, I asked them to cease interrupting and let everyone finish their point.
- If you do not cease making that noise, you will ruin your concentration for the rest of the evening.
- The company will cease operations at the site once it completes the safety inspection.
- When the applause finally ceased, she began her speech with a steady, unhurried voice.
Common mistake
Learners often say "cease from" (e.g., "cease from talking"), but standard usage is "cease doing" or "cease to do."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.