pit stop

noun

1

: a stop at the pits during an automobile race

2

a(1)

: a stop (as during a trip) for fuel, food, or rest or for use of a restroom

(2)

: a temporary deviation from a direct or usual course

… a career pit stop … where he worked temporarily in between TV jobs …

—Mark Lorando

b(1)

: a place where a pit stop is or can be made

(2)

: an establishment providing food or drink

Examples of pit stop in a Sentence

We made a pit stop for some food before getting back on the highway.

This little town is an ideal pit stop between the two cities.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here’s your foodie’s roundup of the moments, the meats and the must-visit pit stops that put Charlotte-area barbecue on the map. —Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026

Following his January 2018 Tonight Show stint, during which his Aquaman battled it out with Jimmy Fallon in a segment, the Dune actor and his kids made a quick pit stop at the Saturday Night Live studio. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

Every car’s pit stop includes fuel and four new tires, and these are tasks performed by a six-man pit crew that includes a jackman, who uses a 20-pound jack to lift both the left and right sides of the car, allowing for tire changes. —Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

Think of it as your go-to pit stop before or after soaking up the World Cup atmosphere at the Fan Fest. —Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pit stop

• atop
• backdrop
• backstop
• bebop
• blacktop
• bookshop
• clatsop
• desktop
• eavesdrop
• estop
• hardtop
• hilltop

Kids Definition

pit stop

noun

1

: a stop at the pits during an automobile race

2

a

: a stop (as during a trip) for fuel, food, or rest or for use of a restroom

b

: a place where a pit stop is or can be made