as in to hesitate
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
he paused for a moment to regain his composure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lull
a momentary halt in an activity
there was a brief pause for applause in her speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the question caught the professor off guard, and there was a pause before he responded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pause
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
As Edelbroek explained to the SXSW audience, freezing the embryos will pause their development and protect them during their return to Earth.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
This pause could mean savings for consumers in certain product categories though tariffs on motor vehicle parts and imports are still in effect.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
And yet, the NBA does not pause for your absences.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
As Edelbroek explained to the SXSW audience, freezing the embryos will pause their development and protect them during their return to Earth.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Crewed mission The wet dress rehearsal concluded late Thursday following two terminal counts, despite a brief pause during the final run caused by a booster avionics voltage issue.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
This pause could mean savings for consumers in certain product categories though tariffs on motor vehicle parts and imports are still in effect.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not hesitate when asked about his expectations for Mookie Betts.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Many users hesitate to upload ID scans or biometric selfies to access gaming servers or community groups.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After a brief lull in precipitation this afternoon, snow levels drop to all areas tonight into Tuesday, and remain low through Thursday.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
There were some lulls in the second half of the season, but the Seahawks rounded into form toward the end of the regular season.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In rap’s gladiator arena, there’s no grace for hesitation, and that hesitation defined Cole’s involvement in the clash of the century.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Among those emails are unsent drafts, abandoned because of distraction or hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An historic nor’easter pummeled the region on Monday — with one spot even breaking the snow record from the Blizzard of ’78 — as power crews work around the clock to try to restore electricity for hundreds of thousands.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
-
In some cases, such as Providence, Rhode Island and Islip, New York, the storm broke records for snowfall, according to records from the weather service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Consistent with the rest of the hotel, the local landscape is incorporated into the design experience; there are local gems displayed in the waiting area, and the lobby has a giant window that frames a peak of the nearby Shawangunk Mountains that took my breath away.—
Katie Mathews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 2026
-
After a tense moment and several compressions, the baby took its first breath, filling the car with relief and gratitude.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And every one of us has moments of hiding, fear, doubt, and hesitancy.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That led to a 10-minute interruption at the Estadio da Luz, with referee Francois Letexier crossing his arms to signal that racist abuse had been reported by Vinicius.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Applause between movements meant to be heard without interruption is a growing distraction around here.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Her only hesitance was how much the internet has changed culture in the past decade.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Company leaders have attributed slower demand to higher mortgage rates, economic uncertainty and consumers’ hesitance to spring for pricier projects.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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