stop payment

American  

noun

1. an order by the account holder to the bank not to pay a specified check or other charge.

---

stop payment British  

noun

1. an instruction to a bank by the drawer of a cheque to refuse payment on it

---

stop payment Idioms  

1. Instruct a bank not to honor a check one has drawn, as in If that check was lost, we'll have to stop payment on it before issuing another. This usage was first recorded in 1722.

---

Etymology

Origin of stop payment

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Consumer advocates say the company creates a separate internal deposit account for users and records “ExtraCash” advances as overdrafts on that account, which can make it more difficult for users to stop payment.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

They put a stop payment on the check.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2023

"My next move is to stop payment through my bank or have them pursue the company for restitution," she added.

From Salon • May 17, 2022

If you find yourself in that situation, then you can use a service through your bank known as a stop payment.

From Encyclopedia.com • Mar. 21, 2018

They are thus unable to pay what they have engaged to pay, and stop payment, or, in other words, become bankrupt.

From Political economy by Jevons, W. Stanley