stoppage
B2Neutral, slightly formal. Common in news, sports reporting, and industrial/technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A temporary or permanent cessation of activity, movement, or flow.
Any instance of being stopped or blocked, often used to refer to industrial action, interruptions in sports, or blockages in pipes or systems.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun. Often implies an unplanned or undesirable interruption. Can refer to a planned halt (e.g., a work stoppage as industrial action).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in UK English, especially for sports interruptions and industrial action. In US English, terms like 'strike', 'shutdown', or 'delay' are often more frequent in equivalent contexts, though 'stoppage' is perfectly understood.
Connotations
In UK sports journalism (e.g., football), 'stoppage time' is the official term for added time. In US sports, this concept is usually 'injury time' or 'added time'. In industrial contexts, both use it, but UK English may use it more broadly.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English across all domains (news, sports, technical).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[stoppage] of [noun][adjective] stoppage in [noun]cause/lead to/result in a stoppageVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stoppage time (football/soccer)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a halt in production or work, often due to strikes, technical faults, or supply chain issues. 'The work stoppage cost the company millions.'
Academic
Used in economics, sociology, or engineering to describe systemic interruptions or halts in processes.
Everyday
Most commonly used for traffic jams, sports delays, or when something is blocked. 'There's a complete stoppage on the M25 due to an accident.'
Technical
In engineering/mechanics, refers to a mechanical failure causing a halt; in medicine, a blockage (e.g., bowel stoppage).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - 'stoppage' is not a verb.
American English
- N/A - 'stoppage' is not a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - No standard adjectival form. Use 'stopped' or 'blocked'.
American English
- N/A - No standard adjectival form. Use 'stopped' or 'blocked'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bus was late because of a traffic stoppage.
- There was a stoppage in play when the player got hurt.
- A sudden stoppage in the pipe caused the kitchen to flood.
- The factory reported a production stoppage due to a lack of materials.
- The union voted for a 24-hour work stoppage to protest the new policies.
- The referee added five minutes of stoppage time at the end of the match.
- Negotiators worked through the night to avert a prolonged stoppage that would cripple the nation's railways.
- The economic analysis highlighted the cascading effects of a supply chain stoppage in a globalised market.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a STOP sign. A stoppage is when something comes to a full STOP-page.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT/FLOW IS A LIQUID (A stoppage is a blockage in the pipe of progress).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'остановка' for minor pauses; 'stoppage' implies a more significant, often problematic halt. For a simple bus stop, use 'stop'. For a pause in conversation, use 'pause', not 'stoppage'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'stoppage' for very short, insignificant pauses (overly formal). Confusing it with 'stop' as a verb. Using it as a verb ('to stoppage' is incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'stoppage' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral to slightly formal. It's common in news and reports but can sound overly technical for very casual, minor interruptions.
A 'strike' is a specific type of work stoppage where workers deliberately refuse to work as a protest. 'Stoppage' is broader and can include interruptions from machinery failure, accidents, or other causes.
No, that would sound unnatural and overly dramatic. Use 'pause', 'break', or 'lull' instead.
Primarily, yes. It's the official term in football/soccer globally, but in general US sports broadcasting, terms like 'injury time' or 'added time' are also used.