grind to a halt
idiom
of a machine
: to stop working or moving forward
The machinery slowly ground to a halt.
—often used figurativelyWithout more money, work on the project will soon grind to a halt.
Examples of grind to a halt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s failure to publicly push Netanyahu to abide by terms of the cease-fire and move on to cementing the accord’s next phase galvanized fears among families of dozens of Israelis still being held hostage in Gaza that the process would grind to a halt.
—
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
However, its scale did nothing to prevent its findings from being grossly misinterpreted, creating panic that saw hormone therapy prescriptions grind to a halt.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 23 Jan. 2025
The stockpile is essential to the economy: without petroleum the economy will grind to a halt.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
While layoffs remain low, hiring has virtually ground to a halt, especially in some white-collar professions, making the job search process unusually difficult for many.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grind to a halt 
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Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
However, its scale did nothing to prevent its findings from being grossly misinterpreted, creating panic that saw hormone therapy prescriptions grind to a halt.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 23 Jan. 2025
The stockpile is essential to the economy: without petroleum the economy will grind to a halt.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
While layoffs remain low, hiring has virtually ground to a halt, especially in some white-collar professions, making the job search process unusually difficult for many.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grind to a halt
Dictionary Entries Near grind to a halt
Cite this Entry
“Grind to a halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20to%20a%20halt. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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