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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of pause
Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
Before President Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs this month, Indian exports were facing levies of 27 percent.
—Justin Porter, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
Gallagher said the latter request gave her pause, because the certification process was not mentioned in the plaintiffs’ original complaint, which focused entirely on the letter because the certification process had yet to be issued by the department.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Verb
Search and rescue crews began an operation at Lake Carnegie around midnight Tuesday, briefly paused overnight and then resumed in the morning, News 12 New Jersey reported.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
Before President Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs this month, Indian exports were facing levies of 27 percent.
—Justin Porter, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
Kennedy has said the NIH should take a years-long pause from funding infectious disease research.
—Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
Gallagher said the latter request gave her pause, because the certification process was not mentioned in the plaintiffs’ original complaint, which focused entirely on the letter because the certification process had yet to be issued by the department.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pause
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pause
Verb
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This creates bottlenecks, where employees hesitate to act without approval.—
Carlos Hoyos,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Inside Space Force: Here's What the New Agency Does To be sure, some countries may hesitate to align civilian space activities with a military alliance.—
Andrew Hanna,
Time,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There may be long lulls between meteors, so try to be patient between visible bursts of activity.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Harris Beach State Park, Oregon Beaches in the Pacific Northwest are less about idyllic lulls in the sand and instead emphasize the dramatic landscapes that make the region so well-loved by nature enthusiasts.—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The source of hesitation is President Trump’s latest tariffs, which, as announced earlier this month, included a 46% tax on imports from Vietnam, the country’s eighth-largest trading partner.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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Studies show that financial trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors, chronic underinvestment, and hesitation in wealth-building strategies even among women who appear financially stable on paper.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Once the chocolate is frozen, break the sheet into crackers for dipping.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Apr. 2025
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Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For people everywhere, the start of spring signals a time of rebirth and a breath of fresh air.—
Sam Cochran,
Architectural Digest,
17 Apr. 2025
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Packing enough power under the hood to get daily computing tasks fast, this laptop will be a breath of fresh air in your day-to-day routine.—
Jade Chung-Lee,
PC Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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At least one legislator expressed hesitancy during a Senate committee vote Wednesday about the legislation’s expansive footprint.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
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Concerns about data quality, compliance and the rapid pace of AI advancements have created hesitancy, particularly when AI is hastily deployed into customer-facing applications.—
Sumit Johar,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Starting just seconds into her remarks, and every few minutes over the next hour, some half a dozen attendees either waved signs or shouted interruptions.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2025
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During a hold, students remain in their classrooms and instruction continues without interruption, according to Giardino.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The war plans group chat uncovered by a journalist at The Atlantic exposed some daylight between Vice President Vance and others in the administration, showing Vance’s hesitance about launching a military strike that President Trump has hailed this week as necessary and successful.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
29 Mar. 2025
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This often shows up in subtle ways: a reluctance to apply for promotions, a hesitance to speak up in high-stakes meetings, or discomfort in presenting a polished resume or LinkedIn profile.—
Amanda Miller Littlejohn,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pause. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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