parentheses

noun

plural of parenthesis
as in intervals
a break in continuity there was a parenthesis of silence when the microphone momentarily lost power

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 parentheses Top 10 With records through Wednesday and last week’s ranking in parentheses. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 Numbers in parentheses indicate passage numbers within each chapter. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026 All figures in parentheses below are current estimates for those crop years in million bales. — Sj Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026 Irrespective of his death in parentheses, Philip Sidney wielded the two typographical boomerangs with aplomb in his brilliantly stylish and dizzyingly chaotic Arcadia. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 Their ages as of the start of next season are in parentheses. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The tutor recognized the expression, asked him to clarify his parentheses, and guided him through a second application of the difference-of-squares pattern. — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Top 10 best malls Here are USA Today readers’ 2026 selections of their favorite malls in the United States with last year’s rank in parentheses. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parentheses
  1. intervals
  2. interruptions
  3. hiatuses
  4. gaps
  5. pauses
Noun
  • Since 1972, timekeepers have added 27 positive leap seconds to UTC, at very irregular intervals.
    — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Named Maai after a Japanese term (ma-ai) relating to meaningful spacing, timing, or intervals, the 154-foot superyacht combines Japanese restraint with Italian conviviality to create an onboard environment that can be both zen and buzzy.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of intervals
Noun
  • Fast-swap batteries can also get the robot back to work without lengthy interruptions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The five original Nobel Prizes were created under the terms of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel’s will and have been awarded since 1901, with only limited interruptions, chiefly during World War I and World War II.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of interruptions
Noun
  • Manon Bannerman and Sophia Laforteza are taking separate hiatuses from Katseye; while Bannerman’s status in the group remains unknown, Laforteza’s mental-health break will continue until she’s reassessed in September.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Haircut 100, on the other hand, took some long hiatuses as a band.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiatuses
Noun
  • Yet Perrette and Decker’s meaty roles still leave gaps – slightly lower down the international chain, questions remain over how territories are divided up and who looks after what.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Yet despite the construction boom and falling rents, Pew noted that housing gaps remain even larger for lower-income residents, especially those hoping to buy a home.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gaps
Noun
  • Everyone stress-tests the checkout, then quietly buries returns, cancellations and subscription pauses.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But the situation is simply too perilous to entertain any more pauses.
    — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pauses

Browse Nearby Words

parented
parentheses
parenthesis
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Cite this Entry

“Parentheses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parentheses. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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