call a truce

Meaning

To agree to stop fighting, arguing, or competing, either permanently or for a short period of time. This expression is widely used in personal relationships, business disputes, or family arguments to bring about a temporary peace. The tone is constructive and peace-seeking.

Examples

• After arguing for hours about the budget, they decided to call a truce.

  After arguing for hours about the budget, they decided to call a truce.

• Let's call a truce and enjoy our family dinner without any bickering.

  Let's call a truce and enjoy our family dinner without any bickering.

• The two siblings finally called a truce after a week of silent treatment.

  The two siblings finally called a truce after a week of silent treatment.

• We need to call a truce and focus on solving the actual problem together.

  We need to call a truce and focus on solving the actual problem together.

• They called a temporary truce to discuss the terms of their partnership.

  They called a temporary truce to discuss the terms of their partnership.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ They made a truce to stop fighting.

  ✓ They called a truce to stop fighting.

  While "make a truce" is occasionally understood, the standard idiomatic collocation is "call a truce".

• ✗ We should call truce for now.

  ✓ We should call a truce for now.

  "Truce" is a countable noun in this context, so you must include the indefinite article "a".

Related Expressions

Practice

• Tired of the constant bickering, the couple decided to ___.

  💡 An expression meaning to agree to stop arguing.

  Show answer

  call a truce

• Can we please ___ just for this weekend?

  💡 Use the base form of the verb phrase.

  Show answer

  call a truce