quit
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to stop, cease, or discontinue.
She quit what she was doing to help me paint the house.
- Antonyms:
- start
-
to depart from; leave (a place or person).
They quit the city for the seashore every summer.
- Antonyms:
- enter
-
to give up or resign; let go; relinquish: She quit her job.
He quit his claim to the throne.
She quit her job.
-
to release one's hold of (something grasped).
-
to acquit or conduct (oneself).
-
to free or rid (oneself): to quit oneself of doubts.
-
to clear (a debt); repay.
verb (used without object)
-
to cease from doing something; stop.
-
to give up or resign one's job or position.
He keeps threatening to quit.
-
to depart or leave.
-
to stop trying, struggling, or the like; accept or acknowledge defeat.
adjective
noun
verb
-
(tr) to depart from; leave
he quitted the place hastily
-
to resign; give up (a job)
he quitted his job today
-
(intr) (of a tenant) to give up occupancy of premises and leave them
they received notice to quit
-
to desist or cease from (something or doing something); break off
quit laughing
-
(tr) to pay off (a debt); discharge or settle
-
archaic (tr) to conduct or acquit (oneself); comport (oneself)
he quits himself with great dignity
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing quit
Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q
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Workshop 3, Part 1
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The Search Is Over: Synonyms for "Stop"
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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:
One big question is whether Farage himself, who has quit politics in the past, may grow tired of the drama.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
She noted that she and Cascardo had already made plans to quit California, but explained that they’d originally set their sights on setting up home in Portland, before pivoting to the East Coast.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
"You can't say no – or if you do, you have to quit."
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
“That’s one reason I quit playing arenas and playing outdoors. It wasn’t about music — it was about being a human jukebox.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"Sam," she said, "I'm busy. Please quit bothering me, okay?"
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
It’s also interesting since a source alerted me to the fact that Rocket’s first commit happened just after Sequoia quitted of their CoreOS shares and board seat.
From Forbes ● Dec. 3, 2014
There is a strongly private, autobiographical element in Hodgkin's work; it refers to friendships one does not know about, to conversations in rooms long since quitted.
From Time Magazine Archive
Amid an awkward pause, Dr. Luther and Herr Stresemann arose and quitted the gallery.
From Time Magazine Archive
Impersonating not only the Prince but the entire Royal Family, they quitted the station and seated themselves in two wagons representing the imperial landaus.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. Rochester had given me but one week’s leave of absence: yet a month elapsed before I quitted Gateshead.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Elliot cites stories of people "quitting their jobs" to invest in items like Pokémon trading cards.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Treasury Wine Estates could consider quitting the U.S. after the Australian producer announced almost $395 million in fresh impairments in response to global consumers’ reduced appetite.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
In a letter posted online, he said quitting was "the only way" to end a "difficult period", but insisted the decision should not be "mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me".
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Cracker Barrel's chief executive is quitting a year after the company faced a widespread backlash over its controversial rebrand.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
It’s almost four thirty p.m. on Friday, her quitting time, and she’s in no mood to stay a second longer.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
