PAUSE Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

pause 1 of 2

verb

Definition of pause

as in to hesitate

to come to a temporary halt in one's activity he paused for a moment to regain his composure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pause

2 of 2

noun

ˈpȯz

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

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

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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 pause

Verb

Independent shops sell ceramics, clothing, prints and homeware, while independent bars and cafés provide somewhere to pause before returning to the ship. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Bokovka has a wonderful courtyard to pause for a glass of wine, and U Kunštátů serves a wide selection of craft beers. — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 21 July 2026

Noun

At the hearing on Friday, Martinez-Olguin telegraphed the outcome of the ruling, suggesting that Paramount had conceded it would not be harmed by a temporary pause. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 20 July 2026 Some are tennis novices while others, like Foon, are coming off a long pause. — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pause

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause

Verb

In the front seat of Red Bull’s car, Lodewyck did not hesitate.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
While the environment and systems have evolved and data has increased, organizations still hesitate when decisions must be made.

— Jorge Couto, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of hesitate

Noun

Parties have exploited lulls in fighting to buy time, rebuild capabilities and consolidate political or territorial gains ahead of the next round of conflict.

— Anthony Wanis-St John, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
Oceanfront has long been treated as the aristocrat of waterfront living, prized for its horizon lines, lull of the tide and powerful symbolism of standing where land gives way.

— Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of lull

Noun

Trust reduces hesitation, especially when people are comparing options fast and looking for a reason to stay.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Rather, congressional hesitation on what would be the largest election reform in decades reflects an awareness of constituent needs and lawmakers’ own reelection risks.

— SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 17 July 2026

Definition of hesitation

Verb

England went ahead of Argentina in the 55th minute of their semifinal, but Messi found another gear and set up both late goals to break England’s hearts and keep Argentina’s run alive.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Their starvation reached new heights, and the men ultimately broke their promise to Odysseus and killed one of Apollo’s cattle.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026

Definition of break

Noun

Sidewalk safety, a tale of two cities There is no such hesitancy with cities collecting roadway data.

— Wes Marshall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.

— Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Definition of hesitancy

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

Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 June 2026

Definition of hesitance

Browse Nearby Words

paupers

pause

paused

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Style

“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of pause

verb

noun

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