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
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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
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Recent Examples of pause
Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2026
Aging systems and appliances tend to raise red flags during inspections, giving buyers pause — and negotiating power.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Amy Taxin, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Ukraine and Russia agreed Friday to a three-day halt in fighting during Russia’s annual commemoration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, a pause to begin Saturday and to include a swap of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
—Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
Traffic will be paused intermittently along FM 1709 between Randol Mill/Davis Boulevard and Peytonville.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2026
Aging systems and appliances tend to raise red flags during inspections, giving buyers pause — and negotiating power.
—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, the pause remains in affect for thousands of others including researchers and entrepreneurs from 39 countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela.
—Amy Taxin, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026
Ukraine and Russia agreed Friday to a three-day halt in fighting during Russia’s annual commemoration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, a pause to begin Saturday and to include a swap of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
—Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
New parents often hesitate to communicate their evolving needs at work, but Lauren Smith Brody emphasizes that speaking up about flexible arrangements can enhance not only their own work-life balance but also benefit colleagues and overall company performance.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
8 May 2026
-
With that possibility in mind, the Thunder didn’t hesitate to trade another of their 2026 first-round picks (and three future second-rounders) for sharpshooting guard Jared McCain, the Corona kid whose 13 second-half points Thursday were absolute backbreakers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s typically an offseason lull with most players, so drops in price or sales volume aren’t abnormal this time of year for NFL players.—
Benjamin Burrows,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
Amana Images Inc Sometimes, a lull in the mortgage interest rate climate can be a good thing for borrowers.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
From Bugenhagen’s perspective, these patterns contribute to hesitation and uncertainty, particularly for individuals seeking long-term relationships, as the process becomes less about connection and more about verification.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Neighbors concerned homes will ‘dominate’ district Homeowners around the Whitewater lot had their own hesitations about the plan.—
Mark Dee
May 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The senior center fielder promptly broke his hamate bone against Lincoln-Way Central.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
-
Mamdani had spent the preceding weeks observing Ramadan alongside members of the city’s Muslim communities, breaking fast in iftar gatherings with union members or content creators.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
From new recruits to grizzled vets, every character in this film regards Maverick as both a relic and a god (sometimes in the same breath).—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
Lindsay is telling him to calm down, take a deep breath, and chill out.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The decline in vitamin K uptake is still believed to be related to vaccine and medicine hesitancy, according to both the JAMA study and ProPublica investigation.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
This hesitancy and worry about speaking up is the way free speech dies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Assayas is, above all, an urbane filmmaker, with no room for discourse so crude or interruption so abrupt as to let the winds of history waft through his film unperfumed.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
The interruption occurred Wednesday, and pressure has since been restored, according to an alert from the city.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
After a pause for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, social hesitance was still evident and masks were incorporated into some of the night's designs.—
Luis Giraldo,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
-
Sensing hesitance as well as incompetence, coaches and players alike tried to sway the flailing fill-ins at every turn.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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