ceased
v. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsist// UK //sˈiːsd// ceased
v. to stop doing something or to stop happening. It is a more formal way to say 'stop' or 'end'.
v. to come to an end or to bring an activity to a halt. Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe the termination of a state or action.
The rain finally ceased and the sun came out.
The factory ceased production last month after the company failed to find a new buyer.
Hostilities between the two nations ceased only after a neutral third party mediated a series of high-level diplomatic discussions.
Usage
The verb can be used both transitively and intransitively. It is frequently followed by a gerund (e.g., 'ceased working') or an infinitive (e.g., 'ceased to exist').