cease-fire

international law
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/topic/cease-fire
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Related Topics:
war
peace

News

India and Pakistan Agree to Cease-Fire but Clashes Persist May 15, 2025, 5:33 AM ET (New York Times)
As Cease-Fire Seems to Hold, India and Pakistan Both Claim Victory May 11, 2025, 12:36 PM ET (New York Times)
European Leaders Pressure Russia for a Cease-Fire, but Putin Refuses May 10, 2025, 4:18 AM ET (New York Times)
Ukraine Rejects Russian Call for a Three-Day Cease-Fire May 4, 2025, 4:29 AM ET (New York Times)

cease-fire, a total cessation of armed hostilities, regulated by the same general principles as those governing armistice. In contemporary diplomatic usage the term implies that the belligerents are too far apart in their negotiating positions to permit the conclusion of a formal armistice agreement. See also armistice.