stopped working at

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "stopped working at" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate the point in time when someone ceased their employment or activity at a specific place. Example: "She stopped working at the company last year." Alternative expressions include "left" and "resigned from."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mr. DePaola stopped working at the building in May 2007.

The New York Times

The heating had stopped working at the A.A.F.S.C.'s offices.

The New Yorker

"She just never stopped working at it," Miss Slaughter said.

The New Yorker

"Danny beat the odds because he never stopped working at getting better.

The New York Times - Sports

Ms. Mera stopped working at Zara after the separation but remained on the board until 2004.

The New York Times

The few bulldozers that arrived promptly to sift through the rubble stopped working at nightfall.

The Economist

Commissioner Kelly said he stopped working at the airport in 1995.

The New York Times

Communications systems were disabled or stopped working at about the same time.

The Guardian

I'm a qualified maths teacher, but stopped working at Christmas because we have three small children.

The Guardian

He was 82 and had never stopped working at full pelt.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association TSSAandand the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) stopped work at 1830 GMT on Sunday.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing equipment failure, use this phrase followed by a specific time (e.g., "at midnight") or a location (e.g., "at the factory") to provide clarity.

Common error

Do not confuse "stopped working at" with the phrase "stopped to work at". The former means an activity ended, whereas the latter means someone paused another activity specifically to begin working.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stopped working at" is a phrasal construction where the past participle "stopped" acts as the main verb, followed by the gerund "working" and the preposition "at". It functions to denote the cessation of an action or state relative to a specific spatial or temporal anchor. Based on data from Ludwig, it is a standard and widely accepted English expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Academia

8%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

1%

Wiki

0.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "stopped working at" is an essential and versatile part of the English language. According to Ludwig AI and its extensive database of high-quality examples, the phrase is perfectly correct for describing both the end of a person's employment and the failure of a device or system. Whether found in The New York Times describing a workplace transition or in The Guardian detailing a mechanical glitch, it remains a reliable choice. Its primary strength lies in its neutrality, allowing a writer to state that an activity ended without necessarily implying the reason or emotional weight behind that conclusion. Writers should simply ensure that the preposition "at" is followed by a clear location, time, or event to maintain maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ceased working at

Increases formality and is often found in legal or formal reporting.

left their job at

Explicitly refers to employment rather than mechanical failure.

stopped functioning at

Specifically used for machines or systems that have broken down.

quit working at

More informal and direct than the original phrase.

resigned from

Indicates a voluntary departure from a workplace.

discontinued work at

Often refers to a project or task being halted.

finished working at

Suggests completion of a shift or a contract period.

terminated employment at

Used in highly formal HR or legal contexts.

ended their tenure at

Refers to the conclusion of a professional role or period of service.

broke down at

Focuses on the event of a mechanical failure at a specific time.

FAQs

How to use "stopped working at" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe leaving a job, such as "She stopped working at the firm in 2010", or a mechanical failure, like "The engine "stopped working at" the halfway point."

What is the difference between "stopped working at" and "stopped working for"?

Use "at" primarily for a physical location or a specific point in time, while "stopped working for" is generally used when referring to an employer or person.

What can I say instead of "stopped working at" for a professional resume?

In a professional context, you might prefer more specific terms like "resigned from", "concluded tenure at", or "left the position at".

Is "stopped working at" correct when describing a clock?

Yes, it is very common. For example, Ludwig examples show that journalists often write "the watch "stopped working at" full-time" to describe a specific moment in time.