To discontinue something means to stop doing it, making it, or offering it. When a company discontinues a product, they stop manufacturing and selling it. When you discontinue a habit, you deliberately stop doing it.

The word carries a sense of finality and decision. Discontinuing means ending something that had been going on regularly, making a permanent stop rather than a temporary pause. A store might discontinue a particular toy line because it's not selling well anymore. A doctor might tell a patient to discontinue taking a certain medication. A streaming service might discontinue an older show, removing it from its catalog.

You'll often see discontinued used as an adjective to describe things no longer available. Collectors sometimes search for discontinued LEGO sets or video games that companies stopped making years ago. When something is discontinued, it becomes harder to find, which can make it more valuable to people who want it.

The word suggests an official or deliberate ending rather than something that just faded away naturally. A student who discontinues piano lessons has made a decision to stop, rather than just gradually practicing less and less.