abrupt halt
Jarring full stop
An abrupt halt is a sudden, unexpected stop—no gradual slowing, just immediate cessation.
The phrase emphasizes the jarring quality of the stoppage: The train came to an abrupt halt.
It applies equally to physical motion and abstract processes: Negotiations ground to an abrupt halt when the scandal broke.
- sudden stopInstantaneous end to motion
- screechHigh, harsh cry
- brakesDevices for stopping motion
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
freeze · standstill · dead stop · hard stop · full stop · crash · whiplash · slam · impact · emergency · skid · jarring · shock · cutoff · pause · cease · stall · roadblock
abrupt, halt, abruptly, abruptness, halts, halted, halting, haltingly, rupture