desist from doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'desist from doing' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to express an instruction to stop doing something. For example: "Please desist from doing anything that might damage the property."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And, seeking dignity as much as freedom, he counselled black people to desist from doing to others as had been done to them.

The New Yorker

"While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here.

Independent

While Democrats instantly saw an opportunity for Mr Obama to put a third justice on the court before he leaves office next January – and thus ensure it has a complexion more to his liberal liking for years to come – Republicans rose up as one to describe Mr Obama as a lame-duck President who should desist from doing any such thing.

Independent

At the same time, he made it clear that South Korea should "discontinue all the nuclear war drills they stage with outside forces," and "desist from doing anything that might aggravate the situation".

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"Whatever they were trying to stop me from doing," he says, "the cease-and-desist letter exponentially increased the attention".

Vice

Anyway, it looks nice, though they might be getting a nice, juicy cease and desist from Apple for doing such a blatant ripoff of Cover Flow.

TechCrunch

When Mr Arafat did, in mid-December, demand with some success that his people should desist from violence, the Israelis did not attempt to build on this ceasefire call.

The Economist

Please cease and desist, and do not contact me again.

WikiHow

Among the latest revelations to emerge from WikiLeaks is that, in 2002, as plotters in Venezuela's capital Caracas were liaising with the US authorities about the conspiracy to topple President Hugo Chávez, the leaders of the Catholic church in that country were defying the instruction of Pope John Paul II to desist from having anything to do with the coup d'état.

The Guardian - Opinion

Britain has been an enthusiastic advocate of EU and US sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, and on Wednesday Cameron warned Putin that if he did not desist from supporting the rebels there would have financial and economic consequences for his country for many years to come.

The Guardian

"Hearing nothing from the Indians I had sent out the day previous, I put to death four of those remaining, and released the squaws and child, telling them that we were sent there to punish Indians who were engaged in the massacre of emigrants, and instructed them to tell all the Indians that if they did not desist from killing emigrants that I would return there next summer and destroy them".

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "desist from doing" in formal contexts where a clear and authoritative tone is needed to instruct someone to stop a specific action.

Common error

Avoid using "desist from doing" in informal settings, as it can sound overly formal and stilted. Opt for simpler alternatives like "stop doing" or "refrain from doing" in casual conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "desist from doing" functions as a directive or command, instructing someone to stop or abstain from a particular action. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, and it is employed to formally request cessation of an activity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "desist from doing" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase that functions as a formal directive to stop or abstain from a specific action. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While relatively rare, it is most commonly found in news media, formal business communications, and scientific publications. Alternative phrases include "refrain from doing" and "stop doing", with the choice depending on the desired level of formality. A key writing tip is to reserve "desist from doing" for situations requiring a clear and authoritative tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

refrain from doing

Suggests a more general and often voluntary act of abstaining from an action.

stop doing

A straightforward and direct way to indicate the cessation of an action.

cease doing

Similar to "stop doing" but carries a slightly more formal tone.

abstain from doing

Indicates a voluntary decision to not engage in a particular activity, often for moral or ethical reasons.

forbear from doing

Implies patience and tolerance in refraining from an action, often suggesting a potential provocation.

hold back from doing

Suggests restraining oneself from acting on an impulse or desire.

avoid doing

Indicates taking measures to prevent oneself from performing an action or encountering a situation.

shun doing

Implies deliberately avoiding an action or behavior, often due to disapproval or aversion.

give up doing

Denotes abandoning a habitual or ongoing action, often implying a sense of resignation or defeat.

quit doing

An informal way to express the act of stopping or abandoning an action.

FAQs

How to use "desist from doing" in a sentence?

You can use "desist from doing" to formally request or command someone to stop an action. For example, "The company was ordered to desist from doing business in the state."

What can I say instead of "desist from doing"?

You can use alternatives like "refrain from doing", "stop doing", or "cease doing" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "desist from doing" or "desist to do"?

"Desist from doing" is the correct form. "Desist" requires a preposition "from" when followed by a verb, and the verb should be in the gerund form. The phrase "desist to do" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "desist from doing" and "refrain from doing"?

While both phrases mean to stop oneself from doing something, "desist from doing" is more formal and often implies an authoritative command, while "refrain from doing" suggests a more voluntary act of abstaining.