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
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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
Terry Moseley, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The federal government directed the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to pause November SNAP benefits until further notice.
—Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
The department asked that the pause remain in place until the government reopens when Congress provides new funding.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.
—Terry Moseley, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The federal government directed the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to pause November SNAP benefits until further notice.
—Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
Kiley says the pause has frozen normal work.
—NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
The department asked that the pause remain in place until the government reopens when Congress provides new funding.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
-
The man at the door didn’t hesitate.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Crew members can make recommendations, too, so don’t hesitate to ask them.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That led to a couple of scoring lulls, especially in the first half.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
-
In a lull after your project sold?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Neighbors expressed hesitation about the plans, citing the noise helicopters would cause, WPBF News 25 and WPTV reported.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Villa had known Elliott was available in the months before, yet the price caused hesitation.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The science author Stuart Clark notes that the concept was nonsensical to contemporary scientists, who assumed that magnetism could not break free from a magnet and that the Sun’s energy radiated equally across its surface.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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At the time of his arrest, Scott had an open warrant for skipping court in a 2022 burglary case, in which he was accused of breaking into his mother’s apartment building with two other men and stealing items including a ladder.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
However, feeling out of breath when walking short distances has many possible causes, some severe.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The day of her death Milwaukee police would be called three more times before Zettel took her last breath.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This hesitancy is common, Travers said, because people may be fearful of being judged or of having their trauma follow them later in life.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Yet Trump’s mercurial nature has given other presidential scholars, who cited the president’s six-month journey to even suggest that Vance and Rubio were in the running to succeed him, some hesitancy.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The production interruption comes as Nissan undergoes global restructuring to reduce operating expenses and boost sales.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
-
An early interruption from the Editor, however, risks killing your idea before ink hits the page.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Now, there is some reason for hesitance here, mainly because Raymond could be playing with a rotating cast on his line’s left wing this season.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Still, the Sons of Anarchy star has been open about his initial hesitance to take on the role.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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