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

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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

Reese began before trailing off, looking away, and pausing for about three seconds. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 The White House did not immediately explain how pausing the sanctions was in the national interest. — Will Weissert, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Noun

Musk signed the March 2023 Future of Life Institute letter calling for a six-month pause on training frontier models. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Still, those challenges don’t give Zucker any pause about just how big Hot Hand Sports can become. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pause

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause

Verb

While its lawyers have not hesitated to send cease-and-desist letters to AI companies, Disney is among the big media companies looking for ways to get in the AI game and profit from its boom.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Noun

New Mexico, meanwhile, is dealing with its own summer lull, dropping 93 percent year-over-year.

— Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
CalHR, in a recent PERB filing, said during two-month lull there were sidebar conversations with union officials about economic proposals, potentially including raises.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lull

Noun

At first, it’s seen in Soulan’s hesitation at accepting children from other villages to his class — then in his rage at his mother for feeding guests at the potential expense of the children’s meals.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
The new work is a radical take on aging and femininity, an uncut hit of Cindy Sherman—despite, or maybe even because of, her initial hesitation.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitation

Verb

At a time when the fourth wall between fan and wrestler had long collapsed, Satterley rarely broke character.

— Rudy Chinchilla, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
Catch up on breaking news, exclusive interviews, political analysis, original reporting, and standout moments — all in one place, every week.

— Washington Examiner, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of break

Noun

At various town hall events, Sand has cited biblical passages that can be interpreted as saying that life begins at breath instead of conception.

— Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Rooms The sheer architectural ingenuity and stature of the main building will take your breath away.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of breath

Noun

Opposition or hesitancy has been less focused on Hasan's death sentence which has broad support among Republicans, but on the decision to broadcast it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Consider the party’s hesitancy in addressing the financial ramifications of China’s demographic decline.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitancy

Noun

Shorter supply routes could help reduce exposure to transport interruptions and improve access to essential fuels during emergencies.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
Those numbers assume the S&P 500 returns more than 10% a year without interruption for 55 years.

— Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of interruption

Noun

However, Pritzker’s hesitance to deploy a comprehensive solution to data centers could be his Achilles’ heel in the primaries.

— Patrick McNamara, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of hesitance

Browse Nearby Words

paupers

pause

paused

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pause

verb

noun

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