halt

[ hawlt ]

/ hɔlt /

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See synonyms for: halt / halted / halter / haltest on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to stop; cease moving, operating, etc., either permanently or temporarily: They halted for lunch and strolled about.

verb (used with object)

to cause to stop temporarily or permanently; bring to a stop: They halted operations during contract negotiations.

noun

a temporary or permanent stop.

interjection

(used as a command to stop and stand motionless, as to marching troops or to a fleeing suspect.)

OTHER WORDS FOR halt

3 cessation, suspension, standstill, stop, stoppage.

See synonyms for halt on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of halt

First recorded in 1590–1600; from the phrase make halt for German halt machen;see hold¹

synonym study for halt

2. See stop.

Words nearby halt

Halsey, Halsey, William F., Hälsingborg, Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, Halsted, halt, halter, haltere, halting, Haltom City, Halton

Other definitions for halt (2 of 2)

halt²

[ hawlt ]

/ hɔlt /

verb (used without object)

to falter, as in speech, reasoning, etc.; be hesitant; stumble.

to be in doubt; waver between alternatives; vacillate.

Archaic. to be lame; walk lamely; limp.

adjective

Archaic. lame; limping.

noun

Archaic. lameness; a limp.

(used with a plural verb) lame people, especially severely lamed ones (usually preceded by the): the halt and the blind.

Origin of halt

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English healt; cognate with Old High German halz, Old Norse haltr, Gothic halts, akin to Latin clādēs “damage, loss”

OTHER WORDS FROM halt

haltless, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use halt in a sentence

A petition that garnered more than 1,800 signatures overnight also sought to halt her deportation.
A woman in ICE detention says her fallopian tube was removed without her consent|Nicole Narea|September 17, 2020|Vox
“The FAA should immediately halt the recertification process for the 737 Max in light of this report,” said Michael Stumo, father of Samya Stumo.
Boeing crashes were the “horrific culmination” of multiple mistakes, House report says|kdunn6|September 16, 2020|Fortune
If the court were to find against the insurers, they could be forced to re-examine thousands of claims filed by firms holding business interruption and other policies that offered protection against unexpected halts to operations.
Got interruption insurance? These companies found it’s useless in the age of COVID-19|Bernhard Warner|September 12, 2020|Fortune
The global lockdown halted international travel and cut into luxury sales by extension.
TikTok is looking for ways to avoid a sale|Lucinda Shen|September 10, 2020|Fortune

This hovering is more commonly known as “stalling,” and occurs when a hurricane more or less grinds to a halt.
Slow, meandering hurricanes are often more dangerous—and they’re getting more common|Greta Moran|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
On Monday, de Blasio called for a temporary halt to protests until after the funerals of the two slain officers.
Trayvon Martin’s Family Rejects ‘Dead Cops’ Marchers|Jacob Siegel|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nevetheless, Democratic rule has not only failed to halt the trend, but appears to have accelerated it.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My golden age comes to a halt with the ascendancy of music videos.
The Golden Age of Rock Album Covers|Ted Gioia|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With both branches of Congress now under Republican control, we should act to halt those power grabs, too.
Obama’s ISIS War Is Illegal|Sen. Rand Paul|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The formation of neologisms is a natural process that no amount of outrage can halt.
Go Ahead, End With a Preposition: Grammar Rules We All Can Live With|Nick Romeo|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The general commanded a halt, and ordered the men to refresh and strengthen themselves by food and drink.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
As they were passing a place where the bushes grew thickly by the side of the road, they received a gruff command to halt.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Here they called a halt for a time, and began to hunt vigorously in all directions, aiming at every species of game.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
Such an admission, coming from her brave lips, warned Frank that he must call a halt regardless of loss of time.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
They come to a halt suddenly, before a little huddling figure, with its face hidden in its arms, crouched beside a crooked rail.
A Lost Hero|Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward and Herbert D. Ward

British Dictionary definitions for halt (1 of 2)

halt¹

/ (hɔːlt) /

noun

an interruption or end to activity, movement, or progress

mainly British a minor railway station, without permanent buildings

call a halt to put an end (to something); stop

noun, sentence substitute

a command to halt, esp as an order when marching

verb

to come or bring to a halt

Word Origin for halt

C17: from the phrase to make halt, translation of German halt machen, from halten to hold 1, stop

British Dictionary definitions for halt (2 of 2)

halt²

/ (hɔːlt) /

verb (intr)

(esp of logic or verse) to falter or be defective

to waver or be unsure

archaic to be lame

adjective

archaic

lame
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the halt

noun

archaic lameness

Word Origin for halt

Old English healt lame; related to Old Norse haltr, Old High German halz lame, Greek kólos maimed, Old Slavonic kladivo hammer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with halt

halt

see call a halt; come to a halt; grind to a halt.

halt

OTHER WORDS FOR halt

Origin of halt

synonym study for halt

Words nearby halt

Other definitions for halt (2 of 2)

Origin of halt

OTHER WORDS FROM halt

Words related to halt

How to use halt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for halt (1 of 2)

Word Origin for halt

British Dictionary definitions for halt (2 of 2)

Word Origin for halt

Other Idioms and Phrases with halt