This is the 14257th most frequent Russian word.
останавливалась
"Останавливалась" means "stopped" or "was stopping" (imperfective, feminine, past tense).
The word "останавливалась" here is used to describe the action of stopping at a location during her movement.
Она останавливалась возле магазина.
She stopped near the store.
In this sentence, "останавливалась" conveys the repeated action of stopping during a journey, reflecting past habitual behavior.
Каждый раз, когда она останавливалась на пути, её охватывало странное чувство.
Each time she stopped on the way, she felt a strange sensation.
The word "останавливалась" signals a deliberate and purposeful halting action within the narrative.