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

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 An exact premiere date hasn't been confirmed, though Season 2 and Season 3 both began in June after a nearly two-year hiatus, and Season 4 looks to be on track to follow that timeline again. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Sophia Laforteza has announced her hiatus from the group the day before they’re set to perform at Head in the Clouds music festival in Pasadena. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 This marks the second member hiatus, as Manon Bannerman has also been on leave since February 2026. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The millennial pop princess made her return to the stage following a 10-year music hiatus—and her tour outfits alone justified the decade-long wait. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 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
  • Furthermore, understanding compensation gaps helps identify valuable expertise and actionable development paths.
    — Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Missouri’s Ramon Fiorini looked to widen the gap on Ginga Ninja, but his first go resulted in a re-ride, and the Freedom’s Alex Cerqueira also got a re-ride on Big Red to follow it up.
    — Ava DiCecca, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Those black rectangles in Study for a Black Drawing are absurd attempts at the ideal void.
    — Aaron Fagan, Artforum, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The activist coalition urged the state to take budget actions during the August session to fill that void.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • In a news release shared Tuesday, Verizon said that service interruptions affected people across Los Angeles County and other parts of the region after vandals cut multiple fiber cables.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But Wills’ career has had numerous injury interruptions, most recently a leg injury in 2024 that required osteotomy surgery and kept him out of the 2025 season as well.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • Instead of slicing and dicing the zucchini, grate it on the large holes of a box grater or the grater attachment of a food processor.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Naughton said as students arrived for the meetup at the school’s blacktop, the district began filling in a hole on the blacktop from a tree that had been removed earlier in the summer.
    — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Also, ibogaine’s prolongation of the heart’s QT intervals carries a real risk of fatal arrhythmia.
    — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Maya, for example, observed and calculated intervals between solar and lunar eclipses, building predictions and calendars around the pattern.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of interval
Noun
  • If friends tug you into big plans, leave room for edits and ask for feedback tomorrow, since a pause protects your clever mood.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Moka is reserved for mornings at home and there’s always time for an espresso pause, and never for a caffeine rush.
    — Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 10 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 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hiatus

Nglish: Translation of hiatus for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hiatus

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