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hiatus

noun

hī-ˈā-təs How to pronounce hiatus (audio)
Definition of hiatusnext
1
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) steam was rising from a hiatus in the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in void
an incomplete or deficient area a hiatus in the law which prevented the district attorney from prosecuting the offenders

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in interruption
a break in continuity a three-year hiatus before the fifth book in the series appeared

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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 hiatus After a one-year hiatus, the club clinched a spot in the six-team National League playoffs with a 6-2 win Friday over the Astros at Daikin Park in Houston. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 19 Sep. 2026 The Boilermakers and Irish resumed their in-state rivalry in 2021 and will meet next week for the third straight year after another three-year hiatus. — Curt Rallo, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 The Boilermakers and Notre Dame resumed their in-state rivalry in 2021 and will meet next week for the third straight year following another three-year hiatus. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 Following a brief hiatus, it was replaced by the current Defender, the L663, for the 2020 model year. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hiatus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiatus
  1. gap
  2. void
  3. interruption
  4. hole
  5. interval
  6. pause
Noun
  • The exact circumstances in each nation differ, but vaccination gaps are a common thread, leading some experts to question if more catastrophic measles outbreaks are around the corner.
    — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026
  • For his part, Johnson has cast undetailed settlement costs as an unavoidable key driver of the city’s looming $882 million budget gap.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Others seek out the falls as an escape, disappearing into the void.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • And that became my life’s work, to attempt being a part of filling that void.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • Practitioners describe them as brief interruptions in familiar patterns.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
  • If a facility had successfully operated through years of storms without interruption, many organizations considered their risk profile well understood.
    — Patty Templeton-Jones, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • However, going down to 0-2 puts a team at a really big hole to start the year and make the playoffs.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Martin Schwarzschild is the son of Karl Schwarzschild, the person who discovered the black-hole solution.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • As much as there’s little room for nuance in the interval of frenzied overreaction that is Week 1 of the NFL season, two seemingly contradictory statements can be true at the exact same time.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The reactor would also need a fuel replacement interval of at least five years.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of interval
Noun
  • Lawrence has widened his aim to the entire AI industry, calling for a pause on AI development in the wake of fears from some at the companies that the technology could eliminate humanity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Wade said the massive makeover by the Heat, in contrast, likely created pause for his former Heat teammate.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of pause

Browse Nearby Words

heydays
hiatus
hiatuses
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Cite this Entry

“Hiatus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiatus. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hiatus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hiatus

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