desistance

American

[dih-sis-tuhns, -zis-] / dɪˈsɪs təns, -ˈzɪs- /

Sometimes desistence

noun

the act or process of ceasing, especially from a criminal or antisocial behavior.

Substance abuse has been found to hinder desistance in young adults' aggressive behavior.

Other Word Forms

nondesistance noun
nondesistence noun

Etymology

Origin of desistance

desist ( def. ) + -ance ( def. )

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.

Voting is “part of a package of pro-social behavior that is linked to desistance from crime.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 17, 2022

The most frequently cited desistance statistic is that around 80 percent of kids who experience gender dysphoria will go on to be cisgender adults.

From The Verge • Jul. 30, 2021

In three of the studies, participants who didn’t follow up with the researchers in adolescence or adulthood were assumed to be desistant, again inaccurately raising the desistance percentage.

From The Verge • Jul. 30, 2021

It’s a metric inconsistent with what we know about the rocky reality of desistance.

From Washington Post • May 16, 2019

Cessation -- N. cessation, discontinuance, desistance, desinence†. intermission, remission; suspense, suspension; interruption; stop; stopping &c. v.; closure, stoppage, halt; arrival &c.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023