quit

¹ American  

[kwit] / kwɪt /

verb (used with object)

quit, quitted, quitting

1. to stop, cease, or discontinue.

   She quit what she was doing to help me paint the house.

   Antonyms:

   start

2. to depart from; leave (a place or person).

   They quit the city for the seashore every summer.

   Antonyms:

   enter

3. to give up or resign; let go; relinquish: She quit her job.

   He quit his claim to the throne.

   She quit her job.

   Synonyms:

   release, vacate

4. to release one's hold of (something grasped).

5. to acquit or conduct (oneself).

6. to free or rid (oneself): to quit oneself of doubts.

7. to clear (a debt); repay.

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verb (used without object)

quit, quitted, quitting

1. to cease from doing something; stop.

2. to give up or resign one's job or position.

   He keeps threatening to quit.

3. to depart or leave.

4. to stop trying, struggling, or the like; accept or acknowledge defeat.

adjective

1. released from obligation, penalty, etc.; free, clear, or rid (usually followed byof ).

   quit of all further responsibilities.

quit ² American  

[kwit] / kwɪt /

noun

1. any of various small tropical birds.

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quit British  

/ kwɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to depart from; leave

   he quitted the place hastily

2. to resign; give up (a job)

   he quitted his job today

3. (intr) (of a tenant) to give up occupancy of premises and leave them

   they received notice to quit

4. to desist or cease from (something or doing something); break off

   quit laughing

5. (tr) to pay off (a debt); discharge or settle

6. archaic (tr) to conduct or acquit (oneself); comport (oneself)

   he quits himself with great dignity

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adjective

1. free (from); released (from)

   he was quit of all responsibility for their safety

quit Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing quit

• call it quits

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Other Word Forms

• quittable adjective
• unquitted adjective

Etymology

Origin of quit¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English verb qui(t)ten “to pay, acquit oneself,” from Old French quit(t)er, from Medieval Latin quittāre, quiētāre “to release, discharge,” Late Latin quiētare “to put to rest, quiet; ” see also quite ( def. )

Origin of quit²

First recorded in 1845–50; originally Jamaican English, of uncertain origin

Explanation

To quit means to stop doing something. You might quit a lousy job or quit eating dessert. The verb quit can also mean to leave a place or depart from a location. This meaning isn't used as frequently in conversation now as it used to be, but you can still use it to mean leaving somewhere. For example, if you choose to move from sunny California to Maine because you think you'll like the seasons better, you could say you plan to quit California for a colder climate.

Example Sentences

“There’s no quit in there,” Smith said of the Kings’ locker room.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Meanwhile, there was more drama in Tuesday's episode when Adam Thomas furiously confronted Jimmy Bullard, after Bullard quit the show and appeared to get Thomas eliminated in the process.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Many Indian workers, including migrants, face precarious finances due to rising prices and stagnant wages, leading some to quit jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

My wife hated the apartment complexes we had bought over the years, and we sold our last apartment complex, quit our jobs and have been living on our savings and investments since then.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Some teachers quit rather than join the Nazis.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• abandon
• break off
• cease
• conclude
• discontinue
• drop
• give up
• halt
• leave
• retire
• suspend
• terminate
• withdraw