ceasefire
Guns fall silent
A ceasefire is an agreement between opposing forces to stop fighting, either temporarily or as a prelude to more permanent peace negotiations.
Unlike a truce, which often implies a brief pause, a ceasefire typically signals a more formal halt to hostilities and may be brokered by a third party.
The warring factions agreed to a ceasefire while diplomats worked on terms.
Ceasefire can also function as a verb: Both sides agreed to ceasefire at midnight.
Agreement to cease hostilities
- truceAgreed halt to hostilities
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- talksSpeaks with others
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
de-escalation · diplomacy · conciliation · settlement · compromise · détente · reprieve · suspension
Freedom from disturbance
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- accordHarmony between parties
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- treatyBinding pact between nations
agreement · peacekeeping · peacemaking · disarmament · demobilization · demilitarization · stability · normalization
Armed struggle between groups
- battleArmed military engagement
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
- combatantsThose engaged in warfare
- militaryArmed forces collectively
warfare · frontline · shelling · bombardment · insurgency · belligerents · warring parties · fighting
Multinational peacekeeping body
- Security CouncilInternational peace oversight body
- envoyAccredited diplomatic representative
- mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
- negotiatorOne who bargains professionally
humanitarian · Red Cross · peacekeepers · observers · monitors · international · sanctions · resolution
Act of holding something in mind
- veteransFormer armed forces members
- poppyScarlet bloom, opium source
- memorialThing preserving remembrance
- silenceTotal lack of sound
eleventh hour · war graves · commemoration · November 11 · wreath · tribute · fallen · cenotaph
armistice
Agreement to cease hostilities
- truceAgreed halt to hostilities
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- talksSpeaks with others
mediation · de-escalation · diplomacy · conciliation · settlement · compromise · détente · reprieve · suspension · breather
peace
Freedom from disturbance
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- accordHarmony between parties
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
treaty · agreement · peacekeeping · peacemaking · disarmament · demobilization · demilitarization · stability · normalization · postwar
war
Armed struggle between groups
- battleArmed military engagement
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
- combatantsThose engaged in warfare
military · warfare · frontline · shelling · bombardment · insurgency · belligerents · warring parties · fighting · skirmish
UN
Multinational peacekeeping body
- Security CouncilInternational peace oversight body
- envoyAccredited diplomatic representative
- mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
negotiator · humanitarian · Red Cross · peacekeepers · observers · monitors · international · sanctions · resolution · intervention
remembrance
Act of holding something in mind
- veteransFormer armed forces members
- poppyScarlet bloom, opium source
- memorialThing preserving remembrance
silence · eleventh hour · war graves · commemoration · November 11 · wreath · tribute · fallen · cenotaph · two minutes
- diplomatic gesturestreaty signing, state visit, peace offering, summit, truce
- legal documentscontract, affidavit, deed, will, subpoena
- war diplomacytruce, peace treaty, peace deal, armistice, negotiator
- peacepeace, peaceful, peacefully, peace sign, peace symbol
- decisive actionsultimatum, veto, verdict, ruling, declaration
- Making Peaceapology, compromise, forgiveness, truce, peace talks
ceasefirecombat
Armed hostile engagement
fighting · hostilities · warfare · war · battle
ceasefireescalation
Progressive increase in intensity
intensification · aggression · offensive operations · military buildup · surge
- ceasefire agreementPact ending active combat
- ceasefire talksDiscussions to stop hostilities
- ceasefire negotiationsDiscussions to end combat
- ceasefire lineMilitary standstill boundary
- ceasefire zoneArea where hostilities pause
- ceasefire violationBreaking agreed combat pause