grind to a halt

Idioms  

1. Also, come to a grinding halt. Gradually come to a standstill or end. For example, Once the funding stopped, the refurbishing project ground to a halt, or She's come to a grinding halt with that book she's writing. This expression alludes to a clogged engine that gradually stops or a ship that runs aground.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grind to a halt

Without the armies of aides, interns, and volunteers who answer phones in Capitol Hill offices, draft bills, and staff campaigns, lawmaking and reelection bids across the country would grind to a halt.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

If all these claims had to go to court, progress at LAX would grind to a halt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

"When you're in this situation and you've got a guide dog and you can't do anything, it does make certain things grind to a halt."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

"Japan's economy approached the Iran war with solid momentum but we think that GDP growth will grind to a halt this quarter and next," he wrote in a note.

From Barron's ● May 19, 2026

The harbor was nearly deserted; the plague had caused shipping in and out of Kerch to grind to a halt.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo