cease

[sees]

verb (used without object)

ceased, ceasing 

1. to stop; discontinue.

   Not all medieval beliefs have ceased to exist.

   Antonyms: begin

2. to come to an end.

   At last the war has ceased.

   Synonyms: culminate, end, terminate
   Antonyms: begin

3. Obsolete.,  to pass away; die out.

verb (used with object)

ceased, ceasing 

1. to put a stop or end to; discontinue.

   He begged them to cease their quarreling.

noun

1. cessation.

   The noise of the drilling went on for hours without cease.

cease

/ siːs /

verb

1. to bring or come to an end; desist from; stop

noun

1. without stopping; incessantly

Word History and Origins

Origin of cease¹

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”; cede

Word History and Origins

Origin of cease¹

C14: from Old French cesser, from Latin cessāre, frequentative of cēdere to yield, _cede

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. never cease to amaze. never cease to amaze.

More idioms and phrases containing cease

• wonders will never cease

Example Sentences

So I’m heartened, and I’ll tell you, it’s encouraging to me that appropriators have not ceased their work.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Israel's obligations under the law of armed conflict do not cease even for those breaching the Yellow Line," said Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, professor of Public International Law at the University of Bristol.

Read more on BBC

Tobacco has long ceased to be viable as a crop.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In remarks at the White House, the US president indicated that a key sticking point remained Moscow's refusal to cease fighting along the current front line.

Read more on BBC

China has already ceased buying soybeans from U.S. farmers, following $12.6 billion in purchases last year.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• break off 
• desist 
• discontinue 
• fail 
• halt 
• quit 
• refrain 
• terminate