grind to a halt
idiom
of a machine
: to stop working or moving forward
The machinery slowly ground to a halt.
—often used figurativelyWithout more money, work on the project will soon grind to a halt.
Examples of grind to a halt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because without rare earth minerals, the American economy would grind to a halt.
—
Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Even when discussions in Congress grind to a halt, much of the government’s economic machinery keeps running.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Whatever momentum the Chargers established during their early-season victories has ground to a halt.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, hiring has essentially ground to a halt, with the labor market adding an average of only 29,000 jobs a month over the summer, according to government data.
—Shannon Pettypiece, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
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Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Even when discussions in Congress grind to a halt, much of the government’s economic machinery keeps running.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Whatever momentum the Chargers established during their early-season victories has ground to a halt.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, hiring has essentially ground to a halt, with the labor market adding an average of only 29,000 jobs a month over the summer, according to government data.
—Shannon Pettypiece, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grind to a halt
Cite this Entry
“Grind to a halt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20to%20a%20halt. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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