stop short

verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"stop-short" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“stop short” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To come to a sudden and unexpected stop, particularly while speaking or driving a vehicle.

Key facts for stop short
PropertyValue
Headwordstop short
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “stop short” sits in English frequency

stop short falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for stop short is 10 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for stop short, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is stop short, spelled S-T-O-P- -S-H-O-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To come to a sudden and unexpected stop, particularly while speaking or driving a vehicle.
  2. 2
    To voluntarily cease an attempt to reach a certain point.
  3. 3
    To come to a stop before reaching a certain point.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "stop short"?
"stop short" is spelled S-T-O-P- -S-H-O-R-T.
What does "stop short" mean?
As a verb, "stop short" means: To come to a sudden and unexpected stop, particularly while speaking or driving a vehicle.
What language does "stop short" come from?
"stop short" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “stop short”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-O-P- -S-H-O-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list