stop over
stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
What does "stop over" mean?
Examples
- We stopped over in Singapore for two nights before flying on to Sydney.
- Are you planning to stop over anywhere on the way to Japan?
- We stopped over in Amsterdam last summer and managed to see a few museums.
How to use it
The destination where you pause is always introduced with 'in' (for cities or countries) or 'at' (for specific places like a friend's house), never placed directly after 'over'.
We stopped over in Hong Kong for two nights before flying on to Melbourne.
Adding a time phrase with 'for' makes clear how long the stop lasted, which is very natural with this phrasal verb.
They stopped over in Doha for a few hours on their way to Cape Town.
This pattern is used when you want to specify where you were ultimately heading as well as where you paused.
We're planning to stop over in Amsterdam on the way to New York.
Because stop-overs are usually planned in advance, the phrasal verb frequently appears with future forms when discussing travel arrangements.
Our flight goes via Singapore — we'll stop over there for a night before the final leg.
When breaking a journey by staying with someone rather than at a hotel, 'at' is used before the person's home or name.
She stopped over at a college friend's place in Toronto before continuing to Vancouver.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
Because 'stop over' is intransitive, you cannot place a location directly after 'over' — you always need 'in' or 'at' before the place name.
'Stop off' describes a short, often purposeful pause on any journey — such as popping into a shop or visiting someone nearby — whereas 'stop over' implies a longer break, usually overnight, during long-distance or international travel. If the stop is just a quick errand on a local trip, 'stop off' is the better choice.
Saying 'we were stopping over' sounds unnatural in most contexts. Use the simple past ('we stopped over') or present perfect ('we've stopped over') instead.
Usage
The noun form 'stopover' (one word) is very common and interchangeable in many sentences — 'We had a stopover in Singapore' sounds just as natural as the verb form. In American English, you may also hear 'layover' as the noun equivalent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'stopover' (one word) different from 'stop over' (two words)?
'Stopover' is the noun form and 'stop over' is the verb form, but they describe the same thing. You can say 'We had a stopover in Singapore' or 'We stopped over in Singapore' — both are equally natural. It's very useful to know both forms, as the noun is often more common in everyday conversation.
Is 'stop over' only used for flights, or can I use it for other kinds of travel?
It is most strongly associated with air travel, but you can use it for any long journey — by train, ship, or even road trip — where you pause somewhere overnight or for several hours before moving on. The key idea is a deliberate break in a long journey, not the mode of transport.
What's the difference between 'stop over' and 'lay over'?
'Lay over' (or the noun 'layover') is mainly used in American English and often refers to a scheduled or unavoidable pause on a flight. 'Stop over' is the more internationally recognised form and tends to feel more deliberate and planned. If you're writing or speaking to a global audience, 'stop over' is the safer choice.
Can I use 'stop over' in a sentence without mentioning a specific place?
Yes, you can leave the location out if it's already clear from context — for example, 'Our journey was long, so we decided to stop over.' However, 'stop over' almost always sounds most natural when you add 'in' or 'at' followed by a place, or at least a time reference like 'for a night', since these details are central to the meaning.
Does 'stop over' have any meaning outside of travel?
No — unlike some phrasal verbs, 'stop over' is firmly tied to the literal sense of breaking a journey. You won't find it used metaphorically in natural English, so it's safe to use it only in travel contexts.
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