halt

halt — verb

1. to stop moving, operating, or progressing — either temporarily or permanently, a

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to stop moving, operating, or progressing — either temporarily or permanently, and whether by choice or because of an outside force.

Example

The train halted suddenly when a deer ran across the tracks.

intransitive: sudden stop due to obstacle

The company halted production after the factory flooded.

transitive: halt + direct object (production/work/operations)

Common collocations
  • halt production
  • halt operations
  • halt progress
  • halt work
  • halt suddenly
  • halt abruptly
  • halt temporarily
Synonyms
  • stop

    the everyday, general word for ceasing movement or action; less formal than 'halt'

  • cease

    more formal than 'halt'; often suggests permanence rather than a temporary stop

  • pause

    implies a brief, temporary stop with the clear expectation of resuming

Antonyms
  • continue

    to keep moving or operating without interruption

  • proceed

    formal; to go forward after a stop or delay

Grammar Patterns

halt + object (transitive)

halt (no object — intransitive)

be halted by + agent (passive)

Usage Note

More abrupt and decisive than 'stop' — suggests a complete end to movement or action rather than a gradual slow-down. The transitive pattern (someone halts something) is slightly more common in formal writing; the intransitive pattern (something halts on its own) works well for vehicles and machinery.

Common Mistakes

I halted my homework to eat dinner.
I stopped my homework to eat dinner.
'halt' is too strong for everyday minor pauses; it suggests a significant, often enforced stop.
The car stopped halt at the gate.
The car came to a halt at the gate.' or 'The car halted at the gate.
Do not stack 'stop' and 'halt' together.
Idioms

halt — noun

halt — adjective

Word family

  • halting
    adjectiveB2
  • haltingly
    adverbC1
  • unhalting
    adjectiveC2
  • unhaltingly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe the act of not continuing, but they differ in register, suddenness, and duration. 'Stop' is the default everyday word — you stop a car, stop talking, stop working. It is neutral and works in almost any context. 'Halt' is more formal and suggests a decisive, often externally forced break: a train halts because of an obstacle, a company halts production due to a crisis. 'Cease' is the most formal of the four and implies permanence — a ceasefire means the fighting ends, not just pauses. 'Pause' is the only one that clearly signals the temporary nature of the stop and the expectation of resuming: you pause a video, pause to think, pause for breath. In practical use, choose 'stop' for everyday conversation, 'halt' for formal or dramatic situations, 'cease' for official or legal contexts, and 'pause' whenever the break is brief and something will restart.

stop ↗cease ↗pause ↗halt ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • come to a halt
  • grind to a halt
  • bring to a halt
  • call a halt to
  • put a halt to

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The English word 'halt' actually comes from two separate historical sources that now share the same spelling. The 'stop' meaning entered English from German 'halten' (to hold, to stop), originally used as a military command. The 'limping' meaning comes from Old English 'healt' (lame, crippled), which traces back to Proto-Germanic 'haltaz'. These two words became identical in spelling during the 17th century, creating the modern double meaning.