Word
cease
US/ˈsis/
UK/sˈiːs/
Definitions
01to stop happening
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to stop or come to an end.
v. to come to an end or eventuate in a state of inactivity. Often used intransitively to describe natural or mechanical processes.
日本語:やめる※
“The rain finally ceased late in the evening, and the stars appeared.”
“Hostilities between the two factions ceased only after the international community threatened to impose severe economic sanctions.”
Usage
Often used as an intransitive verb where the subject is a process or state.
02to stop doing something
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to stop doing a particular activity.
v. to discontinue an action or practice. Transitive use often followed by a gerund or a noun phrase.
日本語:やめる※
“The factory will cease production of the old model next month.”
“The department was ordered to cease all recruitment activities until the budget for the next fiscal year had been approved.”
Usage
Can be followed by a noun, a gerund (-ing), or a 'to' infinitive.
Pitfall
The company ceased from making the product.
The company ceased making the product.
In modern English, 'cease' is followed directly by a gerund or 'to' infinitive, not the preposition 'from'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cease” in context.
Verb
01. abruptly cease
“The music abruptly ceased, leaving the ballroom in an uncomfortable silence.”
adv + verb
02. cease and desist
“The company was served with a legal notice to cease and desist all copyright infringement.”
verb + and + verb
03. cease to exist
“Many traditional crafts will cease to exist if the younger generation does not learn them.”
verb + infinitive
Noun
04. ceasefire agreement
“The diplomats worked tirelessly to negotiate a lasting ceasefire agreement between the warring factions.”
noun + noun
05. hostilities cease
“Both sides agreed to a temporary truce until all hostilities cease permanently.”
noun + verb
Preposition
06. without cease
“The rain fell without cease for three days, causing the river to burst its banks.”
prep + noun
Adverb
07. cease immediately
“The commander ordered that all unauthorized activities must cease immediately.”
verb + adv
08. never cease to amaze
“Your ability to solve complex problems under pressure never ceases to amaze me.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“In post-industrial Europe and the US, the left ceased to speak of economic class and spoke instead of identity.” “He said he believed that if things did not change, "the NHS in Northern Ireland ceases to exist".” “The department store made famous by sitcom Absolutely Fabulous had warned it would cease trading.” “The FT ’s headline is “Ukraine ceases strikes on oil tankers using Russian port after Vance request”.” Etymology
From Middle English cesen, cessen, from Middle French cesser (“to cease”), from Latin cessō (“leave off”), frequentative of cēdō (“to leave off, go away”). Compare secede.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/cease
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0