cease
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
idioms
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have ceasedperfect
-
has ceasedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been ceasingperfect progressive
-
has been ceasingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
am ceasingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is ceasingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
are ceasingprogressive
-
ceasessingular 3rd person
-
ceasingparticiple
Past
-
had ceasedperfect
-
had been ceasingperfect progressive
-
were ceasingprogressive plural
-
was ceasingprogressive singular
-
ceasedsimple
-
ceasedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of cease
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ces(s)en, from Old French cesser, from Latin cessāre “to leave off,” equivalent to cess(us) (past participle of cēdere “to withdraw, go”; see cede
Explanation
To cease is to stop or end. Your gym teacher may have trained the class so well that all chattering will cease every time she blows her whistle. Cease comes from the Old French cesser, which means "come to an end," "go away," "give up," or "yield." Although cease often appears in the past tense with "-ed," cease is common for talking about things as they come to an end. A dead plant has ceased living, and if you cease watering the rest of the plants, they will cease to exist too.
Vocabulary lists containing cease
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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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.
There have been sporadic clashes since the heavy fighting in late February and world leaders have called on the two nations to cease hostilities.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
After recent strikes, President Trump reportedly asked Israel to end attacks; both Israel and Iran agreed to cease direct operations.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The bar says the firm refused to remove McBratney’s name from its website for years despite a cease and desist letter.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
The New York Times reported Sunday that the U.S. and Iran agreed in principle to cease hostilities and fully reopen the strait, with the issue of Iran’s nuclear materials to be negotiated later.
From MarketWatch • May 24, 2026
“Devil, cease; and do not poison the air with these sounds of malice. I have declared my resolution to you, and I am no coward to bend beneath words. Leave me; I am inexorable.”
From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley
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.
