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
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
As the frame widens, the pacing slows, and the Shakers’ movement pauses, what Fastvold captures is how, out of the expanse of America, the Shakers start to find structure.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
Service pauses during the show and resumes during a 20-minute intermission for desserts, coffee, tea and drinks.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Changing tempo with slower reps, pauses at the bottom or top of an exercise, and isometric holds all increase time under tension.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
The High Court’s ruling pauses a 2-1 decision from a lower court that had blocked the map from being used.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
White House reportedly pauses work on Executive Order targeting state AI laws.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
Sally pauses her work as Marty holds court, sharing war stories from his decades as a private eye.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
There have been reports that some Democrats are growing wary of the effects of the shutdown, namely, pauses in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and shortages of air traffic controllers and security agents at airports.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2025
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Jan. 2026
The pauses are just as much dialogue as the words.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
There will be some pauses throughout the storm, but rain and snow are expected until Tuesday.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
These intentional pauses result in more engagement in the present moment, as well as a feeling of calm without the sense of being cut off from the world.
—Dr. Brook Choulet, Time, 22 Dec. 2025
Long pauses often break the flow and send your call to a human.
—Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show, FOXNews.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Any pullbacks are likely to be temporary pauses rather than a change in direction, given the structural tightness of the market.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Spearheaded by The People's Union USA, these spending pauses have lasted anywhere from 24 hours to one week.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2025
This resulted in the disruption of non-essential public services, including pauses in funding and federal employee salaries, the closure of national parks and administrative delays across federal agencies.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
Burnett pauses, considers the question, and then flashes a mischievous grin.
—Noun
Taking intentional pauses is key, too.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for pauses
Verb
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The Broncos’ wide receivers had four drops in the first half, and BSU failed twice on fourth down when going for it, something Danielson seldom hesitates to do.—
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In the final scene, Lee hesitates for a moment before letting Stella choose.—
Noun
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But even the best run into lulls during an 82-game season.—
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The offense suffered some lulls in his absence, but second-year wide receiver Ryan Flournoy was able to pick up the production vacated by Lamb in the second half by finishing with 115 yards and one touchdown on nine receptions.—
Noun
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Pair it with a calming playlist and deep breaths, and even a red-eye can feel restorative.—
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But images of those youthful frolics amid chirping children quickly slips behind me, muted by my puffing, labored breaths and the blanket of snow.—
Noun
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The hospitals are prepared to continue offering care despite any pending work interruptions, according to officials, who said patients should not avoid or delay seeking help for any medical emergencies.—
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In the meantime, Payton didn’t express much frustration over the interruptions to the team’s bye-week preparation.—
Noun
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Specialized themes span food, trekking, family travel, women-only departures, and short breaks.—
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The state has not ruled out highway improvements to access such a stadium but the property tax breaks have stalled in Springfield.—
Cite this Entry
“Pauses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pauses. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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