PARENTHESIS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

parenthesis

noun

pə-ˈren(t)-thə-səs

Definition of parenthesis

as in interval

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

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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 parenthesis Their ages as of the start of next season are in parentheses. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Where else could Alfred, Lord Tennyson, share a parenthesis with Ed Sheeran and the Foo Fighters? — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 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 See All Example Sentences for parenthesis

Recent Examples of Synonyms for parenthesis

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

First game there since 2022 after a four-year renovation hiatus; Costner narrates the promos, 25+ Hall of Famers on hand, both teams in retro uniforms.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
After a four-year hiatus, Major League Baseball emerges from the cornfield and onto the diamond in Dyersville, Iowa.

— Jesús Cano, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of hiatus

Noun

This is lunch à la Provençale; expect a multi-course meal with pauses between courses (no, the service isn't slow).

— Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
As a result, the governor has issued a variety of directives on data centers since June, including a pause on data center development and lawmakers in Texas are reacting.

— Jack Fink, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of 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

Browse Nearby Words

parentheses

parenthesis

parenthetically

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“Parenthesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parenthesis. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of parenthesis

noun

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