as in hesitates
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
as in lulls
a momentary halt in an activity
there was a brief pause for applause in her speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pauses
Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
This status pauses tax collection efforts, but interest and penalties continue to build.
—Kat Tretina, Sacbee.com, 29 Mar. 2026
The video shared online by the TV station pauses at the point when officers shoot Serrano.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
The noise pauses conversations, interrupts performances at the nearby Langroise Center for the Performing Arts, and challenges residents near the tracks to find sleep as an average eight trains pass through downtown each night.
—Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
This status temporarily pauses collection efforts, meaning the IRS will not pursue actions like wage garnishment or bank levies while your financial situation remains constrained.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, would need to certify a ballot measure that pauses the map until Missouri voters weigh in during the General Election.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The track treads with a cautious cadence through its first verse and refrain, then pauses.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
The ruling effectively pauses the vaccine committee’s work.
—Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Still in effect are various other pauses on legal migration – including a pause on the issuing of immigrant visas for 75 countries, and a pause on all immigration applications from countries covered by the travel ban.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Billy Randolph had shaped them and how his death had altered their lives, responses came after long pauses and were choked with grief.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026
Business major Andrea Liu found the chatbot’s voice to be surprisingly human, but the conversation felt choppy with odd pauses.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
Bakri litters these lines with pauses and sighs, a simmer rather than an explosion.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Medicaid currently does pre-reviews of payments for non-emergency medical transportation because of fraud in that field, and the pauses for review are typically less than three months, Flores-Brennan said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Jeff says that discipline in placement is key to scaling for businesses, as strategic spots at natural pauses yield sustainable results, while hiding or oversaturating them breeds blindness.
—Matthew Kayser, jsonline.com, 19 Mar. 2026
People with sleep apnea experience apneas, breathing pauses lasting at least 10 seconds.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
The feature is enabled by default and pauses file syncing when the system detects potential ransomware activity.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
This status pauses tax collection efforts, but interest and penalties continue to build.
—Kat Tretina, Sacbee.com, 29 Mar. 2026
The video shared online by the TV station pauses at the point when officers shoot Serrano.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
The noise pauses conversations, interrupts performances at the nearby Langroise Center for the Performing Arts, and challenges residents near the tracks to find sleep as an average eight trains pass through downtown each night.
—Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
This status temporarily pauses collection efforts, meaning the IRS will not pursue actions like wage garnishment or bank levies while your financial situation remains constrained.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican, would need to certify a ballot measure that pauses the map until Missouri voters weigh in during the General Election.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The track treads with a cautious cadence through its first verse and refrain, then pauses.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
The ruling effectively pauses the vaccine committee’s work.
—Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
Places such as Anstruther and Crail provide natural pauses, with the former offering one of Scotland’s most beautiful tidal pools, offering everything from fresh seafood to small galleries and historic streets to explore.
—Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Still in effect are various other pauses on legal migration – including a pause on the issuing of immigrant visas for 75 countries, and a pause on all immigration applications from countries covered by the travel ban.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Billy Randolph had shaped them and how his death had altered their lives, responses came after long pauses and were choked with grief.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026
Business major Andrea Liu found the chatbot’s voice to be surprisingly human, but the conversation felt choppy with odd pauses.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
Bakri litters these lines with pauses and sighs, a simmer rather than an explosion.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Medicaid currently does pre-reviews of payments for non-emergency medical transportation because of fraud in that field, and the pauses for review are typically less than three months, Flores-Brennan said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
Jeff says that discipline in placement is key to scaling for businesses, as strategic spots at natural pauses yield sustainable results, while hiding or oversaturating them breeds blindness.
—Matthew Kayser, jsonline.com, 19 Mar. 2026
People with sleep apnea experience apneas, breathing pauses lasting at least 10 seconds.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pauses
Verb
-
In the finale, Nicky hesitates at the altar, leading Rachel to question their relationship.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Nicky hesitates at the altar, leading Rachel to question their relationship.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Referring to the decline in permits approved, ECMC Director Julie Murphy said there were lulls as everyone adjusted course.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Acting in a movie involves a lot of waiting around, too—as the crew repositions cameras and adjusts the lighting, among other things—and those lulls provided me with plenty of time to feel queasy with anxiety.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The show’s set, designed by Hildegard Bechtler, centers around a panel which features — in bright, yellow lettering — the day and time, taking the audience from Sunday morning to Wednesday evening, when Romeo and Juliet take their final breaths.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Texas fans may have held their collective breaths when senior guard Rori Harmon appeared to hurt her right hand midway through the first quarter.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Experts attribute the interruptions to supply chain disruptions and a surge in demand, tied in part to panic buying.—
April 2,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The human costs of grant uncertainty While interruptions to grant funding slow scientific progress, there is an immediate real-world human cost to the upheaval.—
Nara Parameswaran,
The Conversation,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fueled on coffee and with breaks for lunch and dinner, the two men signed more than 15,000, maybe even upwards of 20,000 comics, in a span of four days under the watchful eyes of reps for a signing and grading company charged with handling the comics.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Venture out beyond the square, and the small-town USA illusion breaks.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pauses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pauses. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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