discontinue
dis-kun-TIN-yoo
/ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuː/
To cease doing, providing, or producing (something).
Implies a deliberate decision to stop something, often a product, service, or practice. It's an active cessation, not just a fading away.
The story behind the word. "Discontinue" is formed from the Latin prefix dis- meaning "apart" or "away," combined with continuare, meaning "to continue." So, literally, it means "to cease to continue" or "to break the continuity." It entered English in the 15th century, and its meaning has remained consistent: to stop doing or producing something.
Word relationships
- cease: To stop.
- terminate: To bring to an end.
- stop: To come to an end or bring to an end.
- continue: To persist in an activity or process.
- initiate: To cause (something) to begin.
- launch: To start or set in motion (an activity or enterprise).
Commonly confused with
- obsolete: "Discontinue" is an action taken by a producer to stop making something. "Obsolete" is the state of something no longer being used, often because it's been replaced. A discontinued product might become obsolete, but not all obsolete products were formally discontinued (some just faded away).
Word family
- discontinuation (noun): the act of discontinuing.
- discontinuity (noun): a break in continuity.
Collocations
- discontinue production
- discontinue a service
- discontinue a product
- officially discontinue
- decide to discontinue
Example sentences
- "The company announced it would discontinue production of its least popular smartphone model." Announcing a product line change.
- "Due to low enrollment, the university decided to discontinue the advanced Latin course." Referring to academic program changes.
- "Many classic car parts have been discontinued, making repairs challenging." Discussing classic car maintenance.
Memory hook
"DIS-CONTINUE" – you dis (dislike) something, so you discontinue it. Dislike, stop
When not to use
Don't use "discontinue" if something simply runs out or naturally ends without a conscious decision to stop its production or provision.
Fun facts
- The prefix "dis-" is incredibly versatile, appearing in thousands of English words to indicate negation, reversal, or separation.
Related words
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