cease-fire
Americannoun
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a cessation of hostilities; truce.
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Military. an order issued for a cease-fire.
Etymology
Origin of cease-fire
First recorded in 1840–50; noun use of verb phrase cease fire
Explanation
When two warring countries take a short break from killing each other's soldiers, it's a cease-fire. Often part of peace talks, a cease-fire is a temporary pause in a battle. Any time a commander orders troops to stop firing their weapons, that's a cease-fire. The noun, in fact, comes from a military command: "Cease fire!" Cease means "stop," from the Latin cessare, "go slow or leave off." Another name for a cease-fire is a truce; it can be an informal agreement to delay any violence for the time being, or part of an official treaty between nations and the end of a war.
Vocabulary lists containing cease-fire
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 19–January 25, 2025
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 24–March 1, 2024
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 17–August 23, 2024
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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.
All three major U.S. stock indexes climbed Wednesday after President Trump said late Tuesday that he would extend a cease-fire with Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
Iran has not yet formally agreed to extend the cease-fire.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
But shortly after the closing bell, President Donald Trump announced another cease-fire extension to allow the U.S. and Iran more time to come up with a deal.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
U.S. stock indexes climbed after President Trump extended a cease-fire with Iran; the S&P 500 notched a record close.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
I stressed that a mutually agreed-upon cease-fire to end hostilities ought to be the first order of business, for without that, no business could be conducted.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
