pause

noun

\ˈpȯz

Definition of pause

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a temporary stop

2a : 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

4a : 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

pause

verb

paused; pausing

Definition of pause (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to stop temporarily

2 : to linger for a time

transitive verb

: to cause to pause : stop

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about pause

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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: Noun

Lift thighs off floor, pause, then release to floor. — Woman's Day Staff, Woman's Day, "5 Stretches to Beat Back Pain," 2 July 2011 This was the only thing that gave me pause about The Dreamery. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "I Paid $25 For a 45-Minute Nap at NYC’s New Sleep Store—and Yes, It Was Dreamy," 13 July 2018 Republicans opposed the vote, saying that the town shouldn’t be in the real estate business, and that the uncertainty of the breadth of the PCB issue should give leaders pause. — Mikaela Porter, courant.com, "Malloy Says Financial Tech Company Will Relocate To Former UConn Campus In West Hartford," 3 July 2018 He's struggled with nagging injuries at various points along the way in San Antonio, and this absence this past season was dramatic enough to give anyone pause. — Andrew Sharp, SI.com, "Kawhi Leonard Wants Out and the NBA Offseason Is Here," 15 June 2018 Compositions by French romantic composer Clémence de Grandval will also be on the program, which may give pause to those who recognize Clémence as a man’s name. — Anthony Barcellos, sacbee, "Summer selections for classical music lovers," 8 June 2018 In the same week that the Baltimore Museum of Art was making headlines for deciding to sell off artworks by men in order to buy others by women and artists of color, were institutions that might have previously jumped at a Picasso given pause? — Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Leaders rethinking choices and presentations at Milwaukee art museums in age of #MeToo," 18 May 2018 Apple had hoped to close the deal quickly, but the EU’s regulatory body, the European Commission, said this week that there are elements to the deal that give it pause. — Don Reisinger, Fortune, "Apple's AirPort Dies as iTunes Reaches a Milestone," 28 Apr. 2018 And the turnabout should give pause to anyone evaluating Zuckerberg’s new statements. — Owen Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, "Remember the last time Mark Zuckerberg asked us to trust him?," 21 Mar. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Congress will pause for a moment of silence this afternoon to honor victims of the June 28 shooting at the Capital Gazette’s Annapolis newsroom. — Colin Campbell, baltimoresun.com, "Congress to hold moment of silence on House floor for Capital Gazette shooting victims," 11 July 2018 Outside a Harley-Davidson dealership in Prague, Daniel Baudys drops a pinch of tobacco into a cigarette wrapper, rolls himself a smoke and pauses for a moment before opining about Trump. — Rick Barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "European Union residents, many Harley fans, opine about Trump and tariffs," 5 July 2018 This time around, Buck paused for the couple’s kiss without saying Sims’ name before continuing his call of Koepka walking to sign his scorecard. — Andrew Joseph, For The Win, "Joe Buck didn't risk ruining Brooks Koepka's U.S. Open kiss after embarrassing 2017 blunder," 17 June 2018 Noblesville school district to hold public safety forum For now, district leaders are pausing and re-evaluating. — Emma Kate Fittes, Indianapolis Star, "Noblesville parents wanted more security. Then a school shooting happened to them.," 7 June 2018 Dave pauses for a long look, then turns to me with the eyes of an orphaned basset hound. — Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, "The strawberry of Dave’s dreams," 2 May 2018 West pauses for a long time and doesn't really answer the question. — Troy L. Smith, cleveland.com, "Kanye West talks Trump, Obama and Jay-Z in revealing interview," 1 May 2018 The legal fight over an alleged hush agreement between President Donald Trump and adult entertainer Stormy Daniels will be paused for 90 days to allow the reality star turned politician's lawyer to assert his Fifth Amendment rights. — Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, "Stormy Daniels' "Hush Agreement" Suit Paused to Preserve Trump Lawyer's Fifth Amendment Rights," 27 Apr. 2018 The operation was paused Sunday after 7:50 p.m., when the last of the four boys had left the cave, so that rescuers could restock compressed air tanks and allow the team of international and Thai divers time to rest. — Shibani Mahtani, Washington Post, "Rescue efforts resume for remaining 8 boys and their coach trapped in the Thai cave," 9 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pause.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.