Synonyms of pauses

pauses 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pause

as in hesitates

to come to a temporary halt in one's activity

he paused for a moment to regain his composure

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitates
• breaks
• interrupts
• stops
• finishes
• catches one's breath
• holds one's horses
• ceases
• ends
• terminates
• breaks in
• lapses
• discontinues
• lays off
• quits
• knocks off
• lets up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continues
• persists
• advances
• progresses
• extends
• stretches
• prolongs

pauses

2 of 2

noun

plural of pause

as in lulls

a momentary halt in an activity

there was a brief pause for applause in her speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lulls
• breaths
• interruptions
• breaks
• recesses
• intervals
• rests
• breathers
• intermissions
• interludes
• respites
• stoppages
• gaps
• suspensions
• lapses
• hitches
• time-outs
• cessations
• hiatuses
• downtimes
• endings
• interims
• discontinuances
• terminations
• discontinuities
• expirations
• moratoriums
• abeyances
• surceases

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• progresses
• continuations
• progressions
• extensions
• prolongations
• endurances
• persistences

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pauses

Verb

The director pauses, remembering a moment from his reporting. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

The preview began by showing the pair getting caught up in a drug bust, in which Jason pauses to pet a dog on their way into a pickup that ends in a shootout with police. — Angela Yang, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026

The decision essentially pauses a preliminary injunction that granted a fifth season for the upcoming 2026-27 college season and represents a significant legal victory for the NCAA. — Justin Williams, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Five years after Mercedes’ winning streak was interrupted, Wolff pauses when describing his feelings about its comeback. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Liquid nitrogen storage pauses cellular activity, so the egg should not degrade over time. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

The ruling pauses enforcement on the tax on second properties while a lawsuit brought by a group of homeowners moves forward. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

In reality, remediation still pauses while security teams validate results, IT schedules maintenance windows or multiple stakeholders approve deployment. — Deepak Kumar, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

In her acknowledgments, Jacobsen pauses to remind her readers that her tale’s painstaking realism is just a literary device. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026

Noun

In response, many cities have introduced data center moratoriums, or temporary pauses on construction, until certain promises have been made. — Greta Reich, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

While safety experts say the companies’ new controls and pauses are a welcome change, some say there’s still more needed. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Lawmakers in 15 states have introduced legislation for data center bans or pauses, and more than 100 localities have already approved their own pauses. — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy defines a thru-hike as completing all of the trail’s sections in any order within a year, allowing for pauses. — Holly Ramer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Many establishments, from brasseries to groceries, close up shop after serving a lunchtime rush to take their own pauses and prepare for evening service. — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy defines a thru-hike as completing all of the trail's sections in any order within a year, allowing for pauses. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

Catatonia Sleep issues Suicidal thoughts or behaviors Pressured speech — speaking rapidly, frantically or without taking pauses to breathe or let someone else talk. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026

These pauses also give the documentary an air of mournful respect, making its pace more deliberate than the standard talking heads-doc that might be mistaken as a stylistic counterpart. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026