desist
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
desistsimple
-
desistssimple
-
have desistedperfect
-
has desistedperfect
-
am desistingprogressive
-
are desistingprogressive
-
is desistingprogressive
-
have been desistingperfect progressive
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has been desistingperfect progressive
Past
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desistedsimple
-
had desistedperfect
-
was desistingprogressive
-
were desistingprogressive
-
had been desistingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of desist
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Old French desister, from Latin dēsistere “to leave off,” equivalent to dē- de- + sistere “to stand, place,” akin to stāre “to stand” ( see stand)
Explanation
You can use the verb desist as a way to say "stop" or "cease." Instead of yelling "Cut it out!" the new neighbor asked the tween girls to desist from playing any more loud, screeching music from that long-haired boy-band. If you want to insist that someone stop doing something, the word desist is a solid choice. It's often used as part of a legal order called a "cease and desist," which forces an action to come to a halt. "Cease" is a synonym for desist, so using the two together says "stop it!" loud and clear — and kind of redundantly. While cease often goes hand in hand with it, desist, can also be followed by from in the form another command: "Desist from camping on the lawn of your favorite singer's home so you won't be arrested."
Vocabulary lists containing desist
Their Eyes Were Watching God
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Refugee
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In the Time of the Butterflies
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bibliophiles will love the speak-easy vibes at Cease and Desist Book Club.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024
In a Cease and Desist letter dated Aug. 11, Tesla said the Dawn Project and its founder "have been disparaging Tesla's commercial interests and disseminating defamatory information to the public."
From Reuters • Aug. 25, 2022
Until the tussle is settled, Dweezil will be touring under his own name, and he has dubbed that sojourn the Cease and Desist tour.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2016
Who could forget that famous New Zealand pair, Cease and Desist?
From The Guardian • Nov. 3, 2015
Glaring fiercely upon him, he repeated, "Desist, I tell you, Leuchtmar, desist, and recall what you have just said, for it is a libel, a slander!"
From The Youth of the Great Elector by Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
