Single-Word Requests – Word for ‘Abrupt Stop’

single-word-requests

I'm trying to write the following sentence without the adverb "abruptly"

They were walking to the main office, but stopped abruptly when they saw her.

"halted" seems kind of clunky, I'm hoping there's a better word I'm overlooking..

Edit: I forgot to mention, I'd prefer a verb, but if there's a better way to write this, I'm not picky about how.

Best Answer

Perhaps they froze? From the Oxford Living Dictionaries:

freeze

VERB

  1. [no object] Become suddenly motionless or paralysed with fear or shock.

    ‘she froze in horror’

    3.1 Stop moving when ordered.

    ‘she came out with a revolver and told the boys to freeze’

So your sentence would be:

They were walking to the main office, but froze when they saw her.

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