# stop dead

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stop-dead
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To stop suddenly.

## Examples

- He stopped dead when he heard a loud noise.
- She was walking to the store, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her old friend.
- The runner stopped dead as the finish line appeared, suddenly realizing he had taken the wrong path during the race.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.