ceasefire

noun

cease·​fire ˈsēs-ˈfi(-ə)r How to pronounce ceasefire (audio)
variants or less commonly cease-fire
plural ceasefires also cease-fires
1
: a military order to cease firing
2
: a suspension of active hostilities

Synonyms

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Examples of ceasefire in a Sentence

the two armies declared a ceasefire for the holiday
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the latest ceasefire’s first phase, 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others were released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. — Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025 The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas negotiated in mid-January seems to have been written on tissue. — TIME, 23 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ceasefire was in 1844

Rhymes for ceasefire

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Browse Nearby Words

cease and desist order
ceasefire
ceaseless
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Cite this Entry

“Ceasefire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceasefire. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

cease-fire

noun
ˈsēs-ˈfī(ə)r
: a temporary stopping of warfare

More from Merriam-Webster on ceasefire

Nglish: Translation of ceasefire for Spanish Speakers

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