stop doing that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "stop doing that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to instruct someone to cease a specific action or behavior that is undesirable or inappropriate. Example: "Please stop doing that; it's distracting me from my work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Fine, you can't stop doing that.

Independent

We have to stop doing that.

The New York Times

"So I had to stop doing that.

The New Yorker

So let's try to stop doing that.

The New York Times

I really just hope that I don't stop doing that.

The New York Times - Sports

I really hope I don't stop doing that.

Independent

Sooner rather than later, we need to stop doing that.

The Guardian

And I don't want to stop doing that.

The New Yorker

Kevan Jones and others have got to stop doing that.

The Guardian

In fact, Google had to stop doing that.

TechCrunch

I'll stop doing that.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing someone to stop an action, consider your audience and the context. Use a more formal alternative like "cease doing that" in professional settings, while "knock it off" is suitable for casual conversations.

Common error

While "stop doing that" is perfectly acceptable, overuse in formal writing can sound too casual. Opt for alternatives like "discontinue this behavior" or "refrain from such actions" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stop doing that" functions primarily as an imperative, directly instructing someone to cease a specific ongoing action. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is correct and usable in written English for commanding the termination of an undesirable or inappropriate activity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

10%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "stop doing that" is a common and grammatically correct way to tell someone to cease an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions as an imperative, serving to halt or interrupt an action deemed undesirable. While its directness lends itself well to informal and neutral contexts, more formal alternatives like "cease doing that" may be preferable in professional settings. This phrase is widely used in news and media, with a presence in wikis and scientific contexts, making it a versatile expression across various domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cease doing that

Replaces "stop" with the more formal "cease", suggesting a more official or serious tone.

quit doing that

Uses "quit" instead of "stop", implying a more abrupt or informal cessation.

discontinue that behavior

Replaces the action-oriented "doing" with the broader "behavior", suggesting a habitual action.

refrain from doing that

Employs "refrain", indicating a conscious effort to avoid the action.

desist from that action

Uses "desist", which is a more formal way to request someone to stop a particular action.

knock it off

A more casual and direct way to tell someone to stop, often used in informal settings.

cut that out

A common and informal way to ask someone to stop an annoying behavior.

leave it alone

Implies that the person should stop interfering or interacting with something.

don't do that anymore

Specifies that the action should not be repeated in the future.

can you not do that

A polite but slightly sarcastic way to ask someone to stop an action.

FAQs

How can I use "stop doing that" in a sentence?

You can use "stop doing that" to directly ask someone to cease an action. For example, "That's not cool, man, "stop doing that"."

What can I say instead of "stop doing that"?

You can use alternatives like "cease doing that", "quit doing that", or "discontinue that behavior" depending on the context and desired formality.

Which is correct, "stop doing that" or "stop to do that"?

"Stop doing that" is the correct phrasing when you want someone to cease an action that they are currently performing. "Stop to do that" implies pausing an activity to perform a different, specific action, which has a different meaning.

What's the difference between "stop doing that" and "don't do that"?

"Stop doing that" typically addresses an action currently in progress, while "don't do that" is a general instruction not to perform the action, possibly in the future. The former is immediate, and the latter is preventative.