desist

verb

Definition of desistnext
as in to cease

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word desist distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of desist are cease, discontinue, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When would cease be a good substitute for desist?

Although the words cease and desist have much in common, cease applies to states, conditions, or existence and may add a suggestion of gradualness and a degree of finality.

by nightfall the fighting had ceased

When is it sensible to use discontinue instead of desist?

The meanings of discontinue and desist largely overlap; however, discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When might quit be a better fit than desist?

While the synonyms quit and desist are close in meaning, quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.

the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether

When could stop be used to replace desist?

In some situations, the words stop and desist are roughly equivalent. However, stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.

stopped at the red light

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desist Usually, cease-and-desist letters were sufficient. —Bernard Leca, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025 In other developments, state police officers Sunday night served cease-and-desist orders on strikers at their homes, Miller said. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2025 The result of a cease-and-desist from Tig Notaro 28. —Vulture Staff, Vulture, 18 Feb. 2025 The official said on Friday that WhatsApp had sent Paragon a cease-and-desist letter following the hack. —Raphael Satter and James Pearson, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for desist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desist
  1. cease
  2. discontinue
  3. stop
  4. halt
  5. finish
  6. terminate
  7. conclude
Verb
  • Trump signed an order May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding NPR and PBS.
    — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Baker's lawsuit was seeking back pay, attorney's fees and an injunction ordering the county to cease behavior that discriminates against minorities and suppresses residents' First Amendment rights.
    — Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Definition of cease
Verb
  • Buyers are urged to discontinue use immediately and contact the importer for a full refund.
    — MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • McDonald’s had discontinued the wrap – crispy or grilled white meat chicken breast, lettuce, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and a choice of sauce, wrapped in a soft flour tortilla – in 2016.
    — Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 10 July 2025
Definition of discontinue
Verb
  • The toddler stopped crying about 15 minutes after she had been put down for a nap.
    — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
  • The black box stopped recording a few seconds later.
    — Clara McMichael, ABC News, 11 July 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Due to the storm damage, the city of Plainfield said that its city pools and parks are closed on Tuesday for inspection and safety assessment, while services at the Plainfield Senior Center are halted.
    — David Chiu, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • In an unsigned order on Monday, the top court temporarily lifted a lower court ruling from May that indefinitely paused the layoffs and reinstated those who were let go, while also halting President Donald Trump’s Executive Order from March which called for the department to be closed down.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 15 July 2025
Definition of halt
Verb
  • The Heat finished 21st in offensive rating last season, ninth in defensive rating.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025
  • By sunset, the commentator finishes his shouting for the day and the bulls are walked home or loaded back up onto trucks and spirited away.
    — Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Already, some aldermen are bristling at Johnson’s efforts to even maintain the relatively modest 1% grocery tax that the governor terminated in his 2025 budget.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
  • Proctor was fired in March when Noble accepted the MSP Trial Board’s recommendation to terminate Proctor for failing to uphold agency standards.
    — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
Definition of terminate
Verb
  • Johnson concluded that the program breached a guideline on accuracy, which deals with misleading audiences.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
  • Shaffer and his colleagues have concluded the bird hitched back-to-back rides on a garbage truck, taking advantage of the low-effort form of transportation to reach a destination filled with tasty food scraps.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
Definition of conclude

Browse Nearby Words

desirousness
desist
desisted
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Cite this Entry

“Desist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desist. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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