cease immediately

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cease immediately" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to instruct someone to stop an action without delay. Example: "Due to safety concerns, we must ask you to cease immediately any activities that could pose a risk."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Such practices must cease immediately".

The New York Times

This pressure must cease immediately.

The Guardian

"These atrocities recurring have to cease immediately".

The Guardian

Without our help, almost all hill farming would cease immediately.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The secretary general emphasized that all military operations and mass arrests must cease immediately.

The New York Times

Such activity must cease immediately," Mr Cameron said in a statement.

Independent

"If this is the case, the transfers are illegal under … international law and should cease immediately".

The Guardian

Ms. Power said in a statement that "intimidation and threats toward civil society must cease immediately".

The New York Times

Mr. Aldad said the writer should notify the building managers in writing and demand that the problem cease immediately.

The New York Times

"These whales are not being killed for scientific purposes and Japan's activities should cease immediately," he said.

The Guardian

This time he has demanded vote-counting cease immediately, said he is cutting ties with election officials and ordered his observers to boycott the process.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cease immediately", ensure the context clearly indicates what action needs to be stopped and the urgency behind the command. For example, "Due to a safety hazard, all operations must cease immediately."

Common error

Avoid adding another adverb that emphasizes immediacy, such as "absolutely cease immediately", as it can sound unnecessarily repetitive. "Cease immediately" already conveys the required urgency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cease immediately" functions as an imperative, commanding the abrupt termination of an action or activity. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage across diverse contexts, reaffirming its role as a directive.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cease immediately" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that conveys a strong command to stop an action without delay. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, particularly in news, formal business, and scientific domains. Its purpose is to issue an urgent order, and its register leans towards neutral to formal. While "cease immediately" is widely accepted and understood, writers should avoid redundant adverbs and ensure the context clearly defines the action to be stopped. Alternatives such as "stop at once" or "halt immediately" can be used depending on the desired level of formality. The numerous examples provided by Ludwig highlight the phrase's versatility and authoritative usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stop at once

Emphasizes the immediacy of the required action, similar to "cease immediately".

halt immediately

A more formal synonym for "stop", highlighting the abruptness of the cessation.

discontinue immediately

Focuses on stopping an ongoing process or activity without delay.

terminate immediately

Implies a definitive end to something, often used in formal or official contexts.

put an immediate stop to

Emphasizes the act of stopping something and the need for quick action.

bring to an immediate halt

Similar to "halt immediately" but with a slightly more descriptive tone.

end without delay

Highlights the lack of any permissible delay in stopping the action.

desist immediately

A formal term for stopping an action, often used in legal contexts.

refrain from immediately

Focuses on preventing the start or continuation of an action, emphasizing restraint.

call an immediate halt to

Stresses the active decision to stop an activity or process right away.

FAQs

How can I use "cease immediately" in a sentence?

"Cease immediately" is typically used in imperative sentences where you are ordering or instructing someone to stop an action, like: "All unauthorized access must cease immediately."

What phrases can I use instead of "cease immediately"?

Alternatives to "cease immediately" include "stop at once", "halt immediately", or "discontinue immediately", depending on the formality and context.

Is it correct to say "cease immediately"?

Yes, the phrase "cease immediately" is grammatically correct and widely accepted in formal and informal contexts. It clearly conveys a demand to stop something without delay as also stated by Ludwig AI.

When is it appropriate to use "cease immediately"?

Use "cease immediately" when you need to convey a sense of urgency and authority, such as in safety instructions, legal demands, or when addressing critical violations.