PAUSE Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

pause 1 of 2

verb

Definition of pause

as in to hesitate

to come to a temporary halt in one's activity he paused for a moment to regain his composure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pause

2 of 2

noun

ˈpȯz

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

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pause

Verb

The pullback paused a sharp rally that had pushed bitcoin up more than 20% over three days, its strongest three-day gain since 2023. — Lee Ying Shan,ananya Chetia, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 Washington asked Kyiv to pause strikes during Ratcliffe’s four-hour trip. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Noun

The pause applies to both the national park and a section of land upriver and west of the park, a Justice Department lawyer said during Friday's hearing. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Jackson Overstreet, a spokesperson for the city, said the airport won’t experience any operational impacts because of the project’s pause. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pause

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause

Verb

Changing the clock gets complicated There are reasons school districts that accept the science on adolescent sleep still hesitate to change their schedules.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026
Though her books continue to be adapted into movies and recurring series, Moriarty has always hesitated to write a sequel.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Noun

Typically, the last weekend of August brings a bit of a lull – right after a popular Jeep expo and just before the Labor Day rush.

— Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Birth of daughter and personal struggles Meanwhile, following a lull in her career in the late 1990s, Smith returned to the spotlight in 2000.

— Imani Sumbi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of lull

Noun

Someone may be ready to build with you, but hesitation, mixed signals, or too many moving pieces could slow the process down.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
But the full game tape shows those are few and far between — his hesitation and questionable decisions make the lowlights a near-constant.

— Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of hesitation

Verb

Kusama’s large-scale sculptures and immersive installations break attendance records at museums and galleries around the world, and her works regularly set records at auction.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez broke hard for the ball, and no one covered third in his place.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of break

Noun

Yet Parton masterfully stayed out of every fight in the culture wars, preaching love, philanthropy, mentorship and tolerance until her dying breath.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Perhaps a soldier took his last breath beneath its canopy, watering its roots with his blood.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of breath

Noun

The explosions provide different interruptions, punctuating the moment as one of Keeley’s ideas plays out in real time.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
The state also acknowledged technical interruptions affecting some schools during this year’s testing window.

— Katie Pace Miles, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of interruption

Noun

Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 June 2026

Definition of hesitance

Browse Nearby Words

paupers

pause

paused

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pause

verb

noun

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