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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pause
Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
O’Neil previously spent nearly a full season in charge of Bournemouth, succeeding Scott Parker on a caretaker basis in August 2022, before being named permanent head coach in November after the league had paused for the mid-season World Cup.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025
Brown worries about the pause in benefits.
—Olivianna Calmes, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
Ford has paused production of the Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn due to a shortage of aluminum — which Ford uses in the bodies of its pickups — following a fire at supplier Novelis' aluminum plant in New York.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
O’Neil previously spent nearly a full season in charge of Bournemouth, succeeding Scott Parker on a caretaker basis in August 2022, before being named permanent head coach in November after the league had paused for the mid-season World Cup.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
Leipold said after a long pause, referencing fines for criticizing officiating.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025
Brown worries about the pause in benefits.
—Olivianna Calmes, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
Blashill didn’t hesitate to go right back to Knight after the goalie’s first poor performance of the season Thursday night in Winnipeg.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The Nashville forward was awarded the PK after Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo hesitated coming off his line and was called for a foul.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Trump will use the lull in hostilities to build a secure rare earths supply chain.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Despite the current lull in demand, East-to-West container rates have for the most part sustained their mid-October GRI gains, according to Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
So there's no hesitation in that regard.—
EW Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Tuesday's result capped a tumultuous final month that saw national Republican condemnation, Democratic hesitation and equivocation, and a barrage of attack ads.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His most recent stop before Arkansas was in Baltimore, Maryland, as a night and breaking news editor.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
With eight catches for 129 yards, the third-year player remains on pace to break the NFL’s single-season record for receiving yards (1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012).—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Kwei uses his last breath to send his brother to Genna, offering him a chance to at least attempt his first hunt.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
For now, a controversial loan product is back in the spotlight, and the housing market is holding its breath for the next move from the central bank.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Wyatt gave Minnie some distance, which made sense after Kylie spoke about her eldest daughter’s hesitancy around characters at the theme park.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Liberty’s own hesitancy to committing is based on her past as well as her day-to-day dealing with [divorce] clients.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The sudden sting, the constant urge to run to the bathroom and the interruptions to work or intimacy can feel both embarrassing and unsettling.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The company confirmed with the FAA that international flights will continue without interruption.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The judge continued to echo his hesitance following the reveal and shared an Instagram Stories post posing the question for fans.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Now, there is some reason for hesitance here, mainly because Raymond could be playing with a rotating cast on his line’s left wing this season.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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