parenthesis

noun

pə-ˈren(t)-thə-səs How to pronounce parenthesis (audio)
Definition of parenthesisnext
as in interval
a break in continuity there was a parenthesis of silence when the microphone momentarily lost power

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 parenthesis 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 See the full list of this year’s Peabody Award winners below, listed by category and in alphabetical order (with network/platform in parentheses). — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parenthesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parenthesis
  1. interval
  2. interruption
  3. hiatus
  4. pause
  5. gap
Noun
  • Weeks 4 through 6 drop the rest intervals and build to a continuous 20-, 25- and then 30-minute walk.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • The latest season represented about 94% of viewing this interval.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 July 2026
Definition of interval
Noun
  • The robot immediately responds to the interruption and halts the operation, illustrating Unitree’s focus on continuous human-robot interaction and dynamic task adaptation.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
  • The money sits in the business interruption and the extra expense, the long dead stretch while a specialised transformer or a particular chip waits on an 18-month backorder.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • The intense media attention surrounding her may have hastened her decision to step away from the spotlight, but the hiatus may have been in the works for some time.
    — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Mulroney went on hiatus for the latter half of Season 14, returning in the finale.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiatus
Noun
  • The pause, which began July 23, was intended to give negotiations another chance, but progress on talks has not materialized.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • After a nine-month pause, Houthi militants in Yemen allied to Iran resumed attacks on vessels in the Red Sea on July 22, 2026, directly targeting the group’s longtime foe Saudi Arabia.
    — Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of pause
Noun
  • The exchange came as the county office projects the district will need to close a $150 million gap by June 2027 to avoid a state takeover.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated July 31, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Managers who are not developing become the ceiling for every person under them, and the accumulation of underdeveloped management ceilings is what an 80% pipeline-confidence gap looks like from the inside.
    — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap

Browse Nearby Words

parentheses
parenthesis
parenthetically
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parenthesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parenthesis. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on parenthesis

Nglish: Translation of parenthesis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about parenthesis

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All