English Reference
Noun

cessation

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /ˌsɛˈseɪʃən/ UK /sɛsˈeɪʃən/ ces·sa·tion UK spelling cessation's, cessation's

n.the act of stopping something or the state of being stopped. It is often used when talking about ending a war or a long process.

n.the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end. Often used in legal, military, or formal administrative contexts.


SIMPLE

The two countries agreed to a cessation of fighting.

CONTEXTUAL

The medical team observed a complete cessation of symptoms after the patient finished the new treatment.

COMPLEX

The treaty called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, followed by a phased withdrawal of all military personnel from the disputed border region within thirty days.

Usage

Often paired with 'of' to specify what has stopped (e.g., 'cessation of activities').

Usage cessation of hostilities

Trump's peace plan calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza.

BreakingNews.ie· 16 Aug 2026

The roadmap calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in the enclave.

Al Jazeera· 16 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Middle French cessation, itself a borrowing from Latin cessātiō. By surface analysis, cease + -ation. Compare cession < cede.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin cessātiō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated