stoppage

noun

stop·​page ˈstä-pij How to pronounce stoppage (audio)
: the act of stopping : the state of being stopped : halt, obstruction
a stoppage in play

Examples of stoppage in a Sentence

The penalty caused a stoppage in play. There have been more than 10 minutes in stoppages. 10 minutes of stoppage time
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.
Both of those came in the 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest in August, courtesy of Lucas Paqueta’s penalty and Callum Wilson’s stoppage-time header. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025 But as the work stoppage drags on and the strikers face losing everything, friends become enemies, families are divided, and the very future of this typical mid-American town is threatened. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025 The local labor union calls for a strike but as the work stoppage drags on and the strikers face losing everything, friends become enemies, families are divided, and the very future of this typical mid-American town is threatened. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025 The government shutdown began October 1 after legislators failed to reach consensus on a bill that would allocate funding to the federal government, and the stoppage could last several more weeks, as Democrats and Republicans continue to remain at odds over key issues to broker a deal. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stoppage

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stoppage was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Stoppage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoppage. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stoppage

noun
stop·​page ˈstäp-ij How to pronounce stoppage (audio)
: the act of stopping : the state of being stopped

More from Merriam-Webster on stoppage

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