as in to hesitate
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
he paused for a moment to regain his composure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lull
a momentary halt in an activity
there was a brief pause for applause in her speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the question caught the professor off guard, and there was a pause before he responded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pause
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2025
The seven song titles from this album helpfully appeared on an overhead screen as their number came up, to offer an indication of transition without anything as gauche as actually pausing the music for applause.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 13 July 2025
Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
The pause in storms offers a critical window for search and recovery teams working along the Guadalupe River and surrounding areas.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
Public-facing materials related to language access, including letters, videos, and online training tools, will be paused while an internal review is conducted.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2025
The seven song titles from this album helpfully appeared on an overhead screen as their number came up, to offer an indication of transition without anything as gauche as actually pausing the music for applause.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 13 July 2025
Noun
After several delays and the project going on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mural got underway and now her dream has come true.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
The pause in storms offers a critical window for search and recovery teams working along the Guadalupe River and surrounding areas.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
Don’t hesitate to end partnerships with contractors who aren’t aligned with your vision or delivering results.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
In this way, the ellipsoid would change shape in jerky, hesitating motions, gradually exploring the space around it.—
Joseph Howlett,
Quanta Magazine,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
In the depths of life’s lulls, it was forgotten, left in a bun for days, dry, untouched.—
Sophie Meharenna,
Allure,
2 July 2025
-
Allocations will be adjusted dynamically with gold exposure increasing during crypto market downturns, and bitcoin exposure increasing when gold is in a lull period.—
Aaron Stanley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
On the other hand, hesitation or half-measures will send a clear signal to founders and investors that Israel is content to watch from the sidelines.—
Tomer Niv,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
-
Was there any hesitation about writing something that hits so close to home in terms of your real-life experiences within the reality TV community?—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Will Porter has spent the past few years breaking back into tennis by taking lessons and playing matches with friends.—
Will Porter,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
-
But an injury put an end to that impressive string of games, as Jovic broke his right hand on Feb. 23 and missed the final 27 games of last regular season.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Lily rolled over, now, onto her back, away from her husband’s meticulous ledgers, and tried to capture her breath, which along with her heart, these days, had the habit of running away from her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
-
Beyond performance, breath plays a key role in understanding chronic disease.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
This public mandate for bold climate action stands in sharp contrast to the political hesitancy now on display.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
While the #MeToo movement has set the stage for French society to listen when survivors of abuse come forward, there is still some hesitancy within families to accept what happened at Bétharram.—
Colette Davidson,
Christian Science Monitor,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Service interruptions are possible because of construction or weather.—
JP Shaffer
July 10,
Sacbee.com,
10 July 2025
-
Countries that were once polio-free have had polio outbreaks due to interruptions in childhood immunization programs caused by war and conflict.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Several major automakers are investing billions of dollars into American EV production despite the U.S. hesitance to adopt EVs.—
Charles Singh,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
Despite hesitance from some Republican senators, all of Trump’s nominees who have come for a vote on the floor have been confirmed, even his most contentious picks.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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