cease
verb (used without object)
to stop; discontinue.
had ceased
-
past perfectof cease.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Few organizations had imagined the destruction of an entire financial district, the loss of personnel, technology, communications and records, and the need to preserve public confidence while much of the city’s infrastructure had ceased functioning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Roughly 26 percent of the trees' yearly carbon uptake happened after growth had ceased.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
Rodent issues at Angel Stadium had ceased since a 2007 report in The Times that the stadium had been cited 118 times for vermin violations in the previous two years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
Tour agencies told AFP that bus trips to the border had ceased, and uncertainty had hit tourism in Thailand too.
From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025
It had ceased to be my childhood playground and had become its own reality, one whose physical laws were mysterious, hostile.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
