stop short
Idioms-
Also, stop one short . Check abruptly, as in When we tried to cross the street, the barrier stopped us short . [Early 1300s]
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Cause someone to stop speaking, as in I was about to tell them the date when my father stopped me short . [Late 1800s]
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stop short of . Not go so far as to do or say something. For example, He may embroider the truth but he stops short of actually lying . This usage was first recorded in 1818.
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.
“The U.S. and Iran engage in intermittent military exchanges but stop short of a return to high-intensity warfare,” BMI analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
They also work to flag needed updates to a person’s estate plan, but they stop short of giving legal advice or drafting documents.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
The paper naturally raises questions about AI, but the authors stop short of claiming that current AI systems are conscious.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026
Rarely are our viewpoints contested, and if they are, filmmakers frequently stop short of probing the truth.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
And my feet kinda stop short, like my slippers done filled up with concrete.
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
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.
