1
: a temporary stop
2
a
: a break in a verse
b
: a brief suspension of the voice to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts
3
: temporary inaction especially as caused by uncertainty : hesitation
4
a
: the sign denoting a fermata
b
: a mark (such as a period or comma) used in writing or printing to indicate or correspond to a pause of voice
5
: a reason or cause for pausing (as to reconsider)
a thought that should give one pause
6
: a function of an electronic device that pauses a recording
Synonyms
Examples of pause in a Sentence
Noun
There was a brief pause in the conversation.
After a pause the teacher continued the lesson.
He hit pause on the player and explained the significance of the song's lyrics.
Please hit the pause button on the remote control.
Verb
She paused for a few seconds before crossing the street.
We paused briefly to look at the scenery.
He talked for over an hour without pausing.
He picked up the remote control and paused the movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Amy Wagner and Steve Hruby, The Enquirer, 24 Apr. 2024
The hit is the seventh single from Royce’s album, Llamada Perdida, the 23-track set that placed the bachata singer back in the top five on Tropical Albums after a four-year pause (No. 2 debut in March).
—Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2024
One TikTok user posted a video theorizing that the pause may be due to pedal malfunctions and described how the accelerator cover on his own Cybertruck had slipped off the pedal and become jammed in the vehicle’s floorboard.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2024
After a two-year pause, the U.S. restarted deportation flights to the island last year.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
However, the cost to install the system may give some pause.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2024
The absence of basic information has given key policymakers pause.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Harvard University plans to reinstate the SAT or ACT as requirements for admission, following some of its Ivy League peers in returning to standardized test scores after a pause that was prompted by the pandemic.
—Janet Lorin, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Unsure of the future as Hollywood hit the pause button, Blake and Amber decided to leave Los Angeles and head to her hometown: Fort Worth.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
Charles Homans Robert Petkoff Anna Diamond Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Advertisement After pausing to contain his laughter, the veteran singer grew more serious.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
This is a good moment to pause and reflect on Micah Nelson, Willie Nelson’s youngest son.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2024
Then-President Donald Trump first announced his plan to ban the platform from operating in the U.S. in April 2020, an attempt that was later paused by Biden's administration in February 2021.
—Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024
When Judge Chutkan first paused the trial due to Trump's appeals on immunity, there were 88 days left until it was scheduled to begin.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2024
However, the board voted just a year later to pause the middle and high school merger plan.
—Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2024
The Supreme Court then paused the full decision in a 5-4 ruling, allowing ATF to enforce the restrictions while legal proceedings continued.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024
Several other companies have either paused new policies or will no longer offer new ones, including Allstate Corp., The Hartford, Farmers Insurance and United Services Automobile Association.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Noun
Meanwhile, suspending your benefit is more of a pause.
—Amy Wagner and Steve Hruby, The Enquirer, 24 Apr. 2024
The hit is the seventh single from Royce’s album, Llamada Perdida, the 23-track set that placed the bachata singer back in the top five on Tropical Albums after a four-year pause (No. 2 debut in March).
—Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2024
One TikTok user posted a video theorizing that the pause may be due to pedal malfunctions and described how the accelerator cover on his own Cybertruck had slipped off the pedal and become jammed in the vehicle’s floorboard.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2024
After a two-year pause, the U.S. restarted deportation flights to the island last year.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
However, the cost to install the system may give some pause.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2024
The absence of basic information has given key policymakers pause.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Harvard University plans to reinstate the SAT or ACT as requirements for admission, following some of its Ivy League peers in returning to standardized test scores after a pause that was prompted by the pandemic.
—Janet Lorin, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Unsure of the future as Hollywood hit the pause button, Blake and Amber decided to leave Los Angeles and head to her hometown: Fort Worth.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
Verb
Early in his Rock Hill speech, Trump had paused to recognize one of the Republican politicians in attendance, Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina.
—Charles Homans Robert Petkoff Anna Diamond Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024
Advertisement After pausing to contain his laughter, the veteran singer grew more serious.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
This is a good moment to pause and reflect on Micah Nelson, Willie Nelson’s youngest son.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2024
Then-President Donald Trump first announced his plan to ban the platform from operating in the U.S. in April 2020, an attempt that was later paused by Biden's administration in February 2021.
—Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024
When Judge Chutkan first paused the trial due to Trump's appeals on immunity, there were 88 days left until it was scheduled to begin.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2024
However, the board voted just a year later to pause the middle and high school merger plan.
—Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2024
The Supreme Court then paused the full decision in a 5-4 ruling, allowing ATF to enforce the restrictions while legal proceedings continued.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024
Several other companies have either paused new policies or will no longer offer new ones, including Allstate Corp., The Hartford, Farmers Insurance and United Services Automobile Association.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pause.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to pause
Dictionary Entries Near pause
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pause. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pause
1 of 2 noun1
: a temporary stop or rest
2
: the sign placed over or under a musical note, chord, or rest to show that it is to be held longer than usual
3
: a reason for pausing
a thought that should give pause
pause
2 of 2 verb
paused; pausing
1
: to stop temporarily
2
: to linger for a time
pause on a high note
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pause "a temporary stop, pause," from Latin pausa "a pause" — related to repose entry 1
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