discontinue
Americanverb (used with object)
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discontinues,
present (3rd person singular)
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discontinued,
past participle, past
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discontinuing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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discontinues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discontinued,
past participle, past
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discontinuing
present participle
verb
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to come or bring to an end; interrupt or be interrupted; stop
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(tr) law to terminate or abandon (an action, suit, etc)
Synonym Usage
See interrupt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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discontinuesimple
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discontinuessimple
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have discontinuedperfect
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has discontinuedperfect
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am discontinuingprogressive
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are discontinuingprogressive
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is discontinuingprogressive
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have been discontinuingperfect progressive
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has been discontinuingperfect progressive
Past
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discontinuedsimple
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had discontinuedperfect
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was discontinuingprogressive
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were discontinuingprogressive
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had been discontinuingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discontinue
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Anglo-French discontinuer, from Medieval Latin discontinuāre. See dis- 1, continue
Explanation
To discontinue something is to stop it. If you've grown bored with the magazine you get in the mail every month, you can discontinue your subscription. You discontinue things that you want to quit doing or otherwise want to bring to an end. A company also might discontinue a product, or stop making it — you'll be sad if a candy maker discontinues your favorite jelly beans. The word discontinue combines dis-, or "not," with continue, which comes from the Latin continuare, "join together, connect, or make continuous."
Vocabulary lists containing discontinue
The Search Is Over: Synonyms for "Stop"
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for January 7–January 13, 2023
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"Be Prepared" by Vera Brosgol
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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.
See Examples For:
The FCC decision does not allow AT&T to immediately discontinue its landlines, said Ryan Johnston, a telecommunications regulatory attorney who works for the Utility Reform Network.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Users of semaglutide were 28% less likely to discontinue anti-obesity medication use compared with people taking older drugs.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 16, 2026
But the day the Air Force selected the rocket company for the award, SpaceX informed Loverro that the company had decided to discontinue development of that rocket, Loverro told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided to discontinue the proceedings.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
She was going to discontinue carrying the unlucky peacock-blue nail polish.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Ford Motor on Monday said it would take a $19.5 billion charge as it refocuses on hybrids, slashes its electric-vehicle investments and discontinues the electric F-150 pickup truck.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 15, 2025
What will I do if Nikko discontinues that wonderful William Morris design before I commit to it?
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 5, 2023
Sometimes, when a company discontinues a beloved food, fans take to the social media streets, lamenting the loss or even petitioning the cruel corporate gods for its return.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 13, 2023
It’s not dissimilar to when a makeup line discontinues a color but at a much higher cost.
From The Verge ● Mar. 10, 2022
They voted, therefore, the following decree: 'In the name of God and of the People: the Roman Constituent Assembly discontinues a defence which has become impossible, and remains at its post.'
From The Liberation of Italy by Countess Evelyn Martinengo-Cesaresco
Recreation and Parks ultimately discontinued its city-run pedal boat operations in 2009 after years of financial losses, according to a 2011 department report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"You've got spare garments because companies change their logos or they have discontinued items, sometimes a needle breaks in the machine and the logo is ruined and you can't sell it," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Ken Hall, 66, has owned Fords for decades, from the Thunderbird luxury car to the Taurus—and most recently an Edge SUV, which was discontinued in 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
The company previously said sales in volume terms fell in the second quarter, down 4.2% to about 715,000 vehicles, hurt by a smaller EV market, discontinued vehicles and some inventory constraints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
He’s not afraid to ask for a discount if there’s a small scratch or if it’s a discontinued model.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
After discontinuing the medication, many people regain some or all of the weight they lost.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
Microsoft has since softened its approach, dialing back the branding of some AI tools and even discontinuing free, built-in Copilot access in certain Office applications.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
The insurers behind the Medicare Advantage market have been exiting certain unprofitable markets or discontinuing plans amid higher-than-expected medical expenses among subscribers and changes in government payments that have squeezed margins.
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
Another frustrated user described the Kindle as "probably one of the most low-tech devices ever made" and queried why Amazon was discontinuing its support for it.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
But the counselor has told me that he feels that Andy is adjusting quite well to the situation, and we will be discontinuing those sessions on a regular basis.
From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
