# stop someone in their tracks

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stop-someone-in-their-tracks
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To prevent someone from continuing along a path or way, literal or figurative, he has begun going along.

## Examples

- The loud noise stopped him in his tracks.
- The sudden news of the company closing stopped the employees in their tracks as they walked into the office.
- The breathtaking view from the mountain peak stopped the weary hikers in their tracks, making them forget the exhaustion of the long climb.

---

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.