Should you quit or should you resign from your job? No matter which one you choose, it is likely that both of these actions will have the exact same effect on your future, as they are, in this sense, fairly synonymous. However, each is more likely to be found used in specific settings, so you may wish to choose your word with care. Resign is more formal, and will often be found when a person is describing relinquishing a position or office, especially if it is done in disgrace. While it would not be incorrect to say that a member of an organization's board, a king or queen, or a political leader "quit their position," it is more likely that the word resign would be employed.
stop applies to action or progress or to what is operating or progressing and may imply suddenness or definiteness.
stopped at the red light
cease applies to states, conditions, or existence and may add a suggestion of gradualness and a degree of finality.
by nightfall the fighting had ceased
quit may stress either finality or abruptness in stopping or ceasing.
the engine faltered, sputtered, then quit altogether
discontinue applies to the stopping of an accustomed activity or practice.
we have discontinued the manufacture of that item
desist implies forbearance or restraint as a motive for stopping or ceasing.
desisted from further efforts to persuade them
Example Sentences
Verb She quit college after one semester. She decided to quit show business. He quit teaching after five years. Many workers are quitting because of poor pay. She hates her job and she's thinking about quitting. She quit smoking years ago. I wish you would quit bothering her. We're going to quit for the day. It's too hot to keep working. Adjective I am finally quit of that terrible task. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Why is Aaron the one who hates his life and has to quit his job in this movie? Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Sep. 2022 By some estimates, nearly one in five health care workers quit their jobs during the pandemic. Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2022 And workers quit their jobs at historic rates, with many moving from lower-paying, less prestigious jobs, to higher-paying, more flexible positions.Good Housekeeping, 6 Sep. 2022 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.2 million Americans quit their jobs in June of 2022. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2022 The number of times workers quit their jobs edged down to 4.2 million in July from the prior month’s 4.3 million. Bryan Mena, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2022 In 2021, roughly 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs, the highest rate on record. Camille Fetter, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 Simmons got another job as a security guard but had to quit.Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 More than 1 in 4 health department leaders quit their jobs during the pandemic, some after harassment and death threats. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022
Noun
Overall, the quit rate for all non-farm jobs fell slightly from the month before. Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 30 Aug. 2022 The overall quit rate was 4.1% in July, which is down from 5.9% a year ago, indicating that The Great Resignation may be slowing somewhat. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2022 In fact, more than half of adult cigarette smokers make a serious quit attempt each year (quitting for at least a day), but most do not succeed due to the addictive nature of cigarettes. Jen Christensen, CNN, 21 June 2022 That marks the highest rate on record since the BLS began tracking the quit numbers December 2000. Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 13 Oct. 2021 If Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has learned one thing about his young team this season, it’s that there is absolutely no quit in them. Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Apr. 2022 Getting a handle on burnout early is all the more important when serving a high-turnover industry like hospitality, which consistently has the highest quit rate of any industry, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Paige Mcglauflin, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2022 Even during a season that has gone completely off the rails, there is no quit in the coaching staff. Broderick Turner Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2022 Although a number of crew members have described the set as unsafe, and several quit shortly before the fatal shooting, the filing said that Mr. Baldwin had not heard about or observed any safety problems on the set.New York Times, 11 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English quiten, quitten, from Anglo-French quiter, from quite free of, released, from Latin quietus quiet, at rest