as in hesitating
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
he paused for a moment to regain his composure
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Recent Examples of pausing
Ford is pausing production next week at its Dearborn, Michigan, plant, where the F-150 Lightning electric pickup is made, following a supplier fire in New York.
—
Benzinga, Freep.com, 11 Oct. 2025
People ate off paper plates, added hot sauce from squeeze bottles and bopped their heads under purple lights, pausing now and then to toss back an oyster.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
However, though disaster aid is available, the SBA is currently pausing many of its other loans for small businesses and following a shutdown contingency plan, according to a message on its website.
—Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Stellantis is temporarily pausing production at eight of its plants in Europe amid lagging demand for models including the Alfa Romeo Tonale sport utility vehicle and the Fiat Panda.
—Gabrielle Coppola, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Afterwards, walk through the dazzling Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, pausing to admire the glass dome and beautiful mosaic floors (but beware of pickpockets).
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
Her video featured her usual format, showing herself making an iced coffee before pausing to speak to the camera.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
The White House press briefing room has been playing a video on loop of Senate Democrats’ past opposition to shutdowns, only pausing it briefly on Wednesday so Vice President JD Vance and press secretary Karoline Leavitt could address the news media.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2025
Board member Maria Alonzo read the statement in Spanish, pausing several times, removing her glasses and wiping away tears before the vote.
—Michael Dorgan , Jennifer Johnson, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Benzinga, Freep.com, 11 Oct. 2025
People ate off paper plates, added hot sauce from squeeze bottles and bopped their heads under purple lights, pausing now and then to toss back an oyster.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
However, though disaster aid is available, the SBA is currently pausing many of its other loans for small businesses and following a shutdown contingency plan, according to a message on its website.
—Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Stellantis is temporarily pausing production at eight of its plants in Europe amid lagging demand for models including the Alfa Romeo Tonale sport utility vehicle and the Fiat Panda.
—Gabrielle Coppola, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Afterwards, walk through the dazzling Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, pausing to admire the glass dome and beautiful mosaic floors (but beware of pickpockets).
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
Her video featured her usual format, showing herself making an iced coffee before pausing to speak to the camera.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
The White House press briefing room has been playing a video on loop of Senate Democrats’ past opposition to shutdowns, only pausing it briefly on Wednesday so Vice President JD Vance and press secretary Karoline Leavitt could address the news media.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2025
Board member Maria Alonzo read the statement in Spanish, pausing several times, removing her glasses and wiping away tears before the vote.
—Michael Dorgan , Jennifer Johnson, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pausing
hesitating
Verb
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Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Meyers acted his dang butt off in this sketch, and the audience paid him back with unsure and hesitating titters — not crickets, but not enthusiasm either.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pausing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pausing. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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