Quit is a verba word that shows an action or state with several related meanings. It most often means to stop doing something, but it can also mean to resignleave a job or position voluntarily, leave, or givehand over, offer, or surrender something something up.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /kwɪt/
Easy pronunciation: KWIT (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, stressed on the only syllable.
Verb meaning to stop doing something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Quit Meaning
to stop doing something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: put an end to a state or an activity
Example: She quit smoking last year.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- cease — Formal synonym for stopping an activity or state.
- discontinue — Used when something is deliberately stopped, especially a product, service, or habit.
- stop — Common everyday substitute in many contexts.
- give up — Works when ending an activity or habit.
- lay off — Can mean stop doing something, but is more informal and less general than the others.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Quit
Meaning 2
to stop trying because you think you cannot win or succeed
Part of speech: verb
Definition: give up in the face of defeat or lack of hope; admit defeat
Example: After three losses, they were ready to give up.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- give up — Common substitute when someone stops trying.
- throw in the towel — Idiomatic and natural for admitting defeat.
- throw in — Shorter idiom, but less common on its own.
- drop out — Can fit this sense in some contexts, though it often means leaving a course, race, or competition.
- drop by the wayside — Suggests falling behind and stopping effort, but is less direct.
- fall by the wayside — Similar to 'drop by the wayside'; more figurative than direct.
- chuck up the sponge — An idiom meaning to surrender, but it is less common than 'throw in the towel'.
Meaning 3
to resign from a job or position
Part of speech: verb
Definition: give up or retire from a position
Example: The manager quit after six months.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- resign — The most direct formal synonym.
- step down — Natural when leaving an important position.
- leave office — Used especially for political or official positions.
Meaning 4
to leave or depart
Part of speech: verb
Definition: go away or leave
Example: Quit the room and close the door behind you.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- depart — Formal synonym for leaving.
- take leave — Formal and somewhat old-fashioned; not used as widely in everyday speech.
Meaning 5
to renounce or abandon something, often a belief, claim, or habit
Part of speech: verb
Definition: turn away from; give up
Example: He quit the old beliefs of his youth.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- renounce — Strong formal synonym for publicly giving something up.
- relinquish — Means to let go of or surrender something.
- foreswear — Formal and less common; means to reject or give up something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Quit Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- stop
- cease
- discontinue
- give up
admit defeat or stop trying
- throw in the towel
- throw in
resign from a position
- resign
- step down
- leave office
leave or depart
- depart
- take leave
renounce or abandon something
- renounce
- relinquish
- foreswear
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using quit to mean only 'resign' in every context.
- Mixing up quit with 'leave' when the sense is actually 'stop doing something'.
- Assuming every synonym works in all senses; for example, 'depart' is not a synonym for quitting a habit.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does quit mean?
Quit usually means to stop doing something, but it can also mean to resign, leave, or give something up.
What is the most common synonym for quit?
In everyday English, the strongest general synonym is usually 'stop'. In some contexts, 'give up' also works well.
Is quit the same as resign?
Not exactly. Resign is used for leaving a job or position, while quit can also mean stopping an activity or habit.
Can quit mean to give up?
Yes. It can mean stopping an activity, admitting defeat, or giving up a belief, position, or habit, depending on the context.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.