Skip to content

cesser

to stop

verb seh-SEH Less Common

Also means

to cease

Usage Note

Cesser is more formal than arrêter and typically means 'to stop doing something' or 'to come to an end'. It is common in written and journalistic French — les combats ont cessé ('the fighting has stopped'). The negative construction ne cesser de + infinitive (e.g., il ne cesse de parler) means 'to keep doing something without stopping'.

Examples

"La pluie a cessé ce matin."

Natural Translation

The rain stopped this morning.

Literal Translation

The rain has stopped this morning

Explore French by topic