
Grind to a halt
Gradual Process
The phrase suggests a slow and incremental stop, not an abrupt one.

The marathon runner's pace ground to a halt as exhaustion set in.
Negative Connotation
Often used to describe an unwanted or problematic halt in activities or processes.

Negotiations between the companies ground to a halt due to disagreement.
Visual Imagery
Invokes the image of machinery slowing down, useful for emphasizing the struggle or difficulty of stopping.

As power dwindled, the assembly line gradually ground to a halt.
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