Synonyms for pause
- noun
- verb
Most common
breath respite breather interruption intermission hesitation stopping lapse
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Halt — A short time for relaxing and doing something else
break, stop, rest, respite, wait, breath, breather, day off, time-off, stay, gap, recess, holiday UK, vacation US CA, halt dated, tarry dated
2. Interruption — A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation
interruption, intermission, suspension, delay, stoppage, cessation formal, remission
3. Hiatus
4. Hesitation — hesitation; suspense; doubt
hesitation, waver, vacillation, demurral, demur dated
Other
Verb
Definitions
- n. 1
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
- n. 2
A short time for relaxing and doing something else.
- n. 3
Hesitation; suspense; doubt.
- v. 1
To take a temporary rest, take a break for a short period after an effort.
Related words
- Phrases
- filled pause coffee pause general pause grand pause pause mark
- Is a kind of
- discontinuity period
Example sentences
- breath The swimmer raised his head and gasped for breath.
- respite I ducked into a local café for some respite.
- breather I can't focus, so I'm going to take a breather.
- interruption Discussion resumed after a short interruption.
- intermission During the intermission, we had drinks at the bar.
- hesitation Mary jumped into the icy water without hesitation.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| pause | rising | |
| breath | rising | |
| respite | rising | |
| breather | rising | |
| interruption | steady | |
| intermission | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- gap1
- 4 letters
- stop1, wait1, stay1, rest1, halt1
- 5 letters
- point1, break1, delay2, lapse1, waver2, tarry2, demur2
- 6 letters
- breath1, recess2, hiatus3, linger2
- 7 letters
- holiday3, breathe1, respite2, caesura
- 8 letters
- vacation3, stopping2, hesitate3, stoppage2, breather2, demurral, intermit
- 9 letters
- cessation3, remission3
- 10 letters
- suspension3, hesitation4, moratorium5
- 11 letters
- interregnum4, vacillation4
- 12 letters
- interruption4, intermission4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (delay2 = 2 syllables).