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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

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Eno put the label on hiatus in 1991 to concentrate on his own work, and the catalogue moved across to All Saints Records. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026 Continue reading … CENSORSHIP CLASH — Late-night host comes out swinging against Brendan Carr after summer hiatus. — FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026 And during summer 2027, the model’s Last Shot style is set to return after a nine-year hiatus. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026 After a summer hiatus and several notable guest hosts, Jimmy Kimmel returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 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 commencement of large payments before the works are completed has created the timing gap referred to above, squeezing liquidity in the immediate term.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • African banks are constrained by government borrowing and shallow domestic savings, while the continent faces an infrastructure financing gap estimated at up to $100 billion a year.
    — Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Fields went to weed, and livestock wandered untended; the familiar rhythms of rural life gave way to an eerie void.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Others stared silently into the void where the towers once stood.
    — Thomas E. Franklin, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • Celebrities including Lupita Nyong’o, Sharon Stone, John Boyega and Michelle Williams attended at the WSA Building in downtown Manhattan for this season’s show, which continued despite the interruption.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Mercury opposes hazy Neptune, making expectations unclear and interruptions harder to manage.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • Graham birdied the last two holes to earn a precious halve against 17-year-old Miles Russell.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Cash transfers, fund swaps, delayed pension contributions and one-time revenues can make the budget look balanced while the ACFR still shows a hole.
    — Sheila Weinberg, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Take a few minutes to loosen up and get the blood flowing before starting your first interval.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Tickets cost £33 (about $44) and are sold in 10-minute intervals, for a 40-minute visit, but the first batch are sold out.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of interval
Noun
  • But when evaluating this team, certain positions give you pause.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Virgo August 23 – September 22 Your body may be asking for a pause while your schedule keeps making demands.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 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 18 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hiatus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hiatus

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