surcease: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Literary/Archaic)Literary, Formal, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “surcease” mean?
A cessation or ending, especially of something painful or unpleasant.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cessation or ending, especially of something painful or unpleasant.
A temporary or permanent pause, stop, or relief from an activity, effort, or suffering.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally archaic and literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Poetic, elevated, old-fashioned. Often evokes a Shakespearean or 19th-century literary tone.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British literature due to its use by Shakespeare (Macbeth), but this is a marginal distinction.
Grammar
How to Use “surcease” in a Sentence
surcease of [NOUN]surcease from [NOUN]to find surcease in [NOUN/VERB-ING]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “surcease” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The king commanded the hostilities to surcease at once.
- She prayed for the rain to surcease.
American English
- He longed for the noise to surcease.
- The treaty was signed to surcease the conflict.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use]
adjective
British English
- [No standard adjectival use]
American English
- [No standard adjectival use]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Rare, may appear in literary analysis or historical texts.
Everyday
Extremely rare and would sound archaic or pretentious.
Technical
Not used in technical registers.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “surcease”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “surcease”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “surcease”
- Using it as a verb in modern English (though historically a verb).
- Misspelling as 'sursease' or 'surceas'.
- Using it in informal contexts where it sounds out of place.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered a literary archaism. You will almost never hear it in spoken English and will only encounter it in older texts or very deliberate poetic/literary writing.
Historically, yes, and you may find it as a verb in older literature (e.g., Shakespeare's 'Surcease the sound of lamentation'). In modern usage, it is almost exclusively a noun. Using it as a verb would sound exceptionally archaic.
In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', where Macbeth says, 'If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly: if the assassination / Could trammel up the consequence, and catch / With his surcease success;' (Act I, Scene VII).
For the core meaning of 'an end', use 'cessation' or 'end'. For the connotation of 'relief', use 'respite' or 'relief'. These are far more common and natural in contemporary language.
A cessation or ending, especially of something painful or unpleasant.
Surcease is usually literary, formal, archaic in register.
Surcease: in British English it is pronounced /səːˈsiːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /sərˈsiːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no common idioms; the word itself is used idiomatically in literary contexts]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SURcease' as a 'SURe CEASE' – a sure stopping or ending.
Conceptual Metaphor
SURCEASE IS RELIEF (from a burden or pressure).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'surcease' most appropriately used?