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Synonym Chooser

How is the word discontinue distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of discontinue are cease, desist, quit, and stop. While all these words mean "to suspend or cause to suspend activity," discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.

we have discontinued the manufacture of that item

When might cease be a better fit than discontinue?

In some situations, the words cease and discontinue are roughly equivalent. However, 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 can desist be used instead of discontinue?

While the synonyms desist and discontinue are close in meaning, desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.

desisted from further efforts to persuade them

When is it sensible to use quit instead of discontinue?

The meanings of quit and discontinue largely overlap; however, 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 discontinue?

The words stop and discontinue can be used in similar contexts, but 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 discontinue While some commenters on Instagram expressed surprise at the idea of wearing retainers indefinitely or stories about how their own teeth have stayed aligned despite binning their retainers years ago, others shared their experiences of teeth shifting after discontinuing use. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 Lincoln County commissioners recently voted to discontinue the use of fluoride in the county’s drinking water. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 21 Feb. 2025 Several hundred physicians in Idaho have signed a letter asking state legislators to vote against a bill that would discontinue Idaho’s partnership with one of the top medical education programs in the country. Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 20 Feb. 2025 Typically, older models are discontinued when new flagship models are released. Joe Hindy, PCMAG, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discontinue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinue
Verb
  • The program ended in the early 1960s after a member of the CIA Inspector General's staff learned of MKUltra's experiments and ordered them to cease all experimentation on non-consenting subjects.
    Jessica Sager, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • On Thursday, the university, a historically Black institution, ordered the fraternity chapter to cease all activities and suspended pledging for all Greek organizations for the rest of the academic year.
    Neil Vigdor, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • High in the thin Alaskan air, where abundant oxygen had long abandoned such firmaments for lower altitude, five women knelt circled against the piercing cold.
    Cassidy Randall, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The suspension of programs supporting the promotion of democracy in authoritarian countries, a bipartisan U.S. foreign policy for decades, has left experts wondering if the Trump administration has abandoned that goal.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The water tank is a great place to stop and eat a pack lunch.
    John Meyer, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Because right now, Russian strikes have not stopped.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • All live-fire exercises in the current drill were halted until the investigation to determine the exact reason for the accident was finished.
    Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2025
  • In the days following the press conference, Trump’s administration halted further U.S. aid to Ukraine and also ended intelligence sharing between Washington and Kyiv.
    David Axe, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Joe Biden’s third-highest-ranking DOJ official, Matthew Colangelo, quit the DOJ in November 2022 to join Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg three days after Trump announced his 2024 run.
    Carl Burdette, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2025
  • As the countdown moves closer to the end of Windows 10 support this October, here are some compelling reasons to quit Windows and give Linux a try.
    Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The goal here is, the only way out to end this war is to negotiate out of it.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Ukraine considers its hold on Kursk to be crucial to use as leverage in any negotiations to end the war.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Accounts or sessions should automatically expire after their set duration.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • And flight credits for tickets purchased on or after May 28 will expire in one year, or earlier, depending on the type of fare purchased.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Russian assaults are down from up to 60 per day to as few as 18, CDS concluded.
    David Axe, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The decision also suggests the court in at least some cases is prepared to stand behind trial judges who conclude the administration might be violating the law.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discontinue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinue. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on discontinue

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