discontinue

American

[dis-kuhn-tin-yoo] / ˌdɪs kənˈtɪn yu /

verb (used with object)

discontinued, discontinuing

to put an end to; stop; terminate.

to discontinue nuclear testing.

Antonyms:

resume
to cease to take, use, subscribe to, etc..

to discontinue a newspaper.
Law. to terminate or abandon (a suit, claim, or the like).

verb (used without object)

discontinued, discontinuing

to come to an end or stop; cease; desist.

discontinue British

/ ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuː /

verb

to come or bring to an end; interrupt or be interrupted; stop
(tr) law to terminate or abandon (an action, suit, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See interrupt.

Other Word Forms

discontinuance noun
discontinuation noun
discontinuer noun
undiscontinued adjective

Etymology

Origin of discontinue

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Anglo-French discontinuer, from Medieval Latin discontinuāre. See dis- ¹, continue

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sony Honda Mobility—a joint venture between the two Japanese companies—has decided to discontinue the development and launch of its first model, the Afeela 1, as well as a second vehicle that had been under development.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

"In our future work, we will examine the comparative effectiveness of alternative treatment options for obesity in patients who discontinue semaglutide or tirzepatide, to help patients and their clinicians make informed decisions."

From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026

Hims & Hers Health falls sharply as the online pharmacy vows to discontinue a compounded weight-loss pill.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

Last year, energy company Orsted decided to "discontinue" one of the country's biggest wind projects, Hornsea 4, despite it previously being awarded a contract.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

She was going to discontinue carrying the unlucky peacock-blue nail polish.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023