as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
our weekend plans were held in abeyance until we could get a weather forecast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abeyance
As employment conditions and other economic variables have been held in abeyance during the trade reset, wage growth has been moderating, dropping to a 3.77 percent increase from 3.83 percent in March, off a recent high of 4.15 percent in November of last year.
—
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 June 2025
Lawyers who follow immigration matters said enforcement officers have claimed in other cases to have the authority to temporarily hold bond orders in abeyance.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
For now, though, there first has to be intel on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo could come available, in which case all assets should be held in abeyance.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2025
Whereas Ferguson took over at United when Liverpool were still the dominant force in English football, Slot (and even Klopp previously) took residence at Anfield with the club’s fiercest rivals in abeyance.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abeyance
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 June 2025
Lawyers who follow immigration matters said enforcement officers have claimed in other cases to have the authority to temporarily hold bond orders in abeyance.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
For now, though, there first has to be intel on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo could come available, in which case all assets should be held in abeyance.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2025
Whereas Ferguson took over at United when Liverpool were still the dominant force in English football, Slot (and even Klopp previously) took residence at Anfield with the club’s fiercest rivals in abeyance.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abeyance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abeyance
Noun
-
His older brother, Mario, is also a HSV player, albeit one serving a four-year suspension for a doping violation.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
But Indonesia’s House of Representatives said that the license suspension would not cause severe impact on such users.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In a thriller, the suspense is built around a challenge posed to the protagonist — the last big score before retiring, being innocently accused of a crime or accidentally getting involved in something dangerous and deadly.—
Anders de la Motte,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
-
In other words, suspense isn’t about surprise.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abeyance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abeyance. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share