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
Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
Whether in leadership, personal relationships, coaching or teamwork, knowing when not to speak, when to pause and how to hold silence is just as vital as finding the right words.
—Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 19 June 2025
Every click, every scroll, every pause in your reading creates value for tech companies while simultaneously training systems that will predict and influence your future choices.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
After pausing his conceptual menswear label in 2019, Benan resurfaced, quietly, with B+, a new line built on luxurious menswear conveying an attitude, which was eventually rebranded under the Umit Benan moniker with the D Capital acquisition, the fund’s first in the fashion space.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
Whether in leadership, personal relationships, coaching or teamwork, knowing when not to speak, when to pause and how to hold silence is just as vital as finding the right words.
—Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
The clock is ticking down on Trump's 90-day pause on those tariffs — but institutional investors are actually growing more enthusiastic about emerging markets, according to Bank of America's most recent Fund Manager Survey.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 19 June 2025
Every click, every scroll, every pause in your reading creates value for tech companies while simultaneously training systems that will predict and influence your future choices.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
Seize Market Share When Competitors Retreat Expand globally when trends align and others hesitate.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
However, small businesses hesitate to seize the opportunity due to factors like limited finances, technical deficits, and lack of expertise.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
Noun
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This buying lull echoes across the state and nation.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
18 June 2025
-
Typical of fishing while anchored, there were occasional spurts of action followed by lulls.—
Brad Dokken,
Twin Cities,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Their only hesitation were their concerns for his future.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
26 June 2025
-
These travelers pausing their U.S. visits aren't swearing off the U.S. forever, but their hesitation shows the country's current political actions aren't going unnoticed.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
He was later fired for misconduct stemming from the case and broke his silence in a series of interviews after Read's verdict was announced, after he was not invited to take the stand in her second trial.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
-
The idea was that a group of military commandos would break quarantine and try to get to the place where the virus had originated, in order to find a cure.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 June 2025
Noun
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As businesses held their breath for the arrival of 2025, there was a striking decline in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity.—
Matt Kunkel,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Ticks find their hosts by detecting animals’ breath and body odors, or by sensing body heat, moisture and vibrations, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Despite his hesitancy about giving up his role, Devers adjusted to being an everyday DH.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Yet investors in recent weeks had shown hesitancy about longer-duration bonds like the 30-year bond, Hughey said.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
There will be an increase in traffic and interruptions from June 20 to July 10.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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Effective leaders refine their risk-transfer practices to safeguard against disruptions and ensure long-term supply chain resilience by seeking coverage for cyber, directors’ and officers’ liability, business interruption, environmental, terrorism, public liability and reputational risk.—
John M. Bremen,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Though the party may not explicitly endorse such behaviors, its hesitance to denounce them outright can be perceived as tacit approval, alienating voters who value law and order.—
Nafees Alam,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2025
-
This is partly a reflection of the collapse of studio interest in newsy documentaries as well as hesitance around a movie that condemns Israeli policies.—
Marc Tracy,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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