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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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 parentheses 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 The number in parentheses after each player’s name indicates the round in which he was taken — CBA equals Competitive Balance Round A, which comes after the first round, and CBB equals Competitive Balance Round B, which comes after the second round. — Keith Law, New York Times, 16 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 Top 10 With records through Monday and previous rankings in parentheses. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2026 The prose is hypnotic, all the more so for its many digressions and parentheses, unveiling tiny set pieces like so many Fabergé eggs. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 Salary values for 2026-27 in parentheses. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026 The last two highlight lines alter the way Vim highlights matching parentheses by changing the highlight method to an underline instead of a big full-height cursor-emulating block. — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026 At one point in the Symposium on Young American Men, one of the few female panelists named a statistic about suicidal thoughts among young men—then, as if in parentheses, added that the rate was even higher for women. — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parentheses
  1. intervals
  2. interruptions
  3. hiatuses
  4. gaps
  5. pauses
Noun
  • Save intervals, heavy lifts and hard runs for earlier in the evening or the next morning.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • That translates into maintenance sessions at five- to eight-year intervals.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of intervals
Noun
  • Attendees often need time to process information and may lack psychological safety to voice concerns, especially when questions feel like interruptions.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The unit is also designed to switch from RTK GPS to on-board navigation when there are dropouts or interruptions.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 July 2026
Definition of interruptions
Noun
  • Despite his enduring success, Rollins was never quite satisfied with his art, occasionally taking lengthy hiatuses from playing and consistently adopting eclectic new styles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 May 2026
  • Over nearly two decades, BIGBANG has weathered member departures, legal controversies, and years-long hiatuses.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of hiatuses
Noun
  • Companies like Trace Finance capitalize on structural gaps, offering zero-cost FX to secure profitable trade finance and credit relationships, mirroring traditional banks' strategies in high-interest markets like Brazil.
    — Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Simultaneously rendering the past less remote while relishing its radical foreignness, Beard presses readers to grapple with alien ideas, reckon with gaps in their knowledge, and confront complexity.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of gaps
Noun
  • Finally, leveraging neuro-resets through hobbies, movement, and micro-pauses to strategically restore cognitive function.
    — Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Some fans have expressed outrage over the on-air hydration breaks, which come with commercials, but the executive believes the pauses improve overall play.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 July 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 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on parentheses

Nglish: Translation of parentheses for Spanish Speakers

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