as in winter
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness
we need to take a time-out from our relationship to think things over
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of time-out
That’s with two new coaches in the league, including one new coach who never called a time-out.
—
Brian Robin, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
You might be caught up trying to nurture someone (or something) while secretly needing a time-out for yourself.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
European soccer leagues, meanwhile, have largely refrained from following the U.S.’s lead, partly because the game revolves around near-continuous play and does not traditionally include breaks or time-outs.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
With the duel tied at 88-88, the Aces called time-out with five seconds left.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time-out
Brian Robin, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
You might be caught up trying to nurture someone (or something) while secretly needing a time-out for yourself.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
European soccer leagues, meanwhile, have largely refrained from following the U.S.’s lead, partly because the game revolves around near-continuous play and does not traditionally include breaks or time-outs.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
With the duel tied at 88-88, the Aces called time-out with five seconds left.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time-out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for time-out
Noun
-
These seven-night itineraries marks a return to winter cruising along France's most famous waterway for Uniworld after a six-year absence.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
-
Even after a punishing winter of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, the war’s momentum is no longer on Moscow’s side.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Mark my words, Rosewood will make travelers start regarding Phuket as a tasteful destination, to tack on as the beach break during trips to Bangkok or Singapore.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Despite the quick start, Vegas did catch a major break on a fortunate bounce to cut the lead to 2-1, a goal that was credited to Shea Theodore.—
Matt Reigle,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Iced coffee in hand, Bella enjoyed some downtime on the water in a teeny-tiny pink crochet bikini in photos shared to Instagram.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
-
Protect downtime, and your work will sharpen naturally.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Back then, the economy saw a lull in productivity growth as a transformative new technology took hold.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
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That lull is deceptive and even stronger winds can quickly resume.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
After a brief pause in the fourth inning, Will Smith led off the fifth inning with the Dodgers’ fourth homer of the night.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Eastern Ukraine — There is a whirr, a flurry of dust, a pause as the grainy image recalibrates, and then a devastating blast.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
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At the same time, the tech giants and others in the industry are looking for ways to cut costs, including through layoffs.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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This was building up and the layoffs [of Simon and others] is just what sparked it.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Time-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/time-out. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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