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 After Mark Consuelos announced in July his wife and cohost’s temporary hiatus from live episodes following a gum graft procedure, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Ripa will return to Live for the season 39 premiere next month. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 Late Night with Seth Meyers has been on a rather long summer hiatus but its host didn’t want to miss out on the news. — Peter White, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 After a 15-year hiatus from original music, Jessica returned to recording and performing with her two 2025 Nashville Canyon EPs. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 The announcement came after a six-week hiatus during the 2019 holidays. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 20 Aug. 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
  • That gap matters far more now that the premiums have compressed, and in many cases inverted.
    — Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Even though public schooling became compulsory in 1896, the language barrier and the remote location of many plantations led to gaps in access to these laborers’ formal education.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • But his sudden death on July 11 due to an aortic tear created a void.
    — Terry Collins, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In Wolf’s Belly, Little Red Riding Hood and Grandmother find themselves in a magical void with other fairytale characters that the wolf has gobbled up, including the Boy who Cried Wolf and a fourth Little Pig.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • The explosions provide different interruptions, punctuating the moment as one of Keeley’s ideas plays out in real time.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The state also acknowledged technical interruptions affecting some schools during this year’s testing window.
    — Katie Pace Miles, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • There is a lot to like about the Reds, but there are also some glaring holes.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The result was the equivalent of an X-ray of the subsurface extending roughly 300 feet underground, without drilling a single hole.
    — Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Put a handful in a pint-size Mason jar and melt in 30-second intervals.
    — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
  • IndyCar street races continue in rain, though they can be suspended in 30-minute intervals for nearby lightning strikes.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of interval
Noun
  • Another arguably bigger factor is the return of student debt payments and credit bureau reporting after a Covid-era pause.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There was a pause, as a room full of songwriters — the event was specifically for the Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers Wing — erupted into laughter.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hiatus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hiatus

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