call a halt

Idioms  

1. Order something stopped, as in It was getting too dark to see the ball, so the referee called a halt to the match, or They'd played the march four times, so the conductor called a halt to the rehearsal. [Late 1800s]

---

Example Sentences

At one point in the morning search, an AFP reporter at the scene saw the diggers call a halt to their work.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

Gen Surovikin had last been seen in public in a video during the mutiny urging the Wagner forces to call a halt to their action.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2023

A Change.org petition was launched on Aug 1, demanding that Warner Bros and Universal Pictures, the studio behind "Oppenheimer", call a halt to the #Barbenheimer hashtag on social media.

From Reuters • Aug. 11, 2023

Federal Reserve, the ECB is approaching the end of its rate increases, leading analysts to focus on whether it will raise rates again at its September meeting or call a halt.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 27, 2023

Father was plainly ready to call a halt to this battle of the Bible verses.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver