pause

10 synonyms and 3 antonyms for pause, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To stop something briefly, intending to continue later.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

break

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

halt interruption hesitation hesitate suspension

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

lull breather intermit intermission

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To stop something briefly, intending to continue later.

“We paused our walk beside the river to admire the view.”

break halt interruption lull hesitation breather hesitate intermit

Opposites

proceed initiate continue

2. noun

A short break or halt in an activity, or the button that creates one.

“After a long pause, the speaker smiled and continued with her story.”

interruption suspension break intermission

How to use pause

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

pause for thought a brief pause hit pause a pregnant pause

Etymology

From Latin pausa, itself from Greek pausis ("stopping"), related to the verb pauein ("to stop").

Full origin of pause →

Frequently asked questions

What does “pause” mean?

The word “pause” means to stop something briefly, intending to continue later. In plain terms, a temporary stop, or to make one.

How do you pronounce “pause”?

“Pause” is pronounced pawz (/pɔːz/ in IPA).

How do you use “pause” in a sentence?

Here is “pause” used in a sentence: “She paused the film to answer the door.”

What part of speech is “pause”?

Depending on how it is used, “pause” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “pause” come from?

The word “pause” comes from Latin. From Latin pausa, itself from Greek pausis ("stopping"), related to the verb pauein ("to stop").

Is “pause” a common word?

“Pause” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “pause” have?

“Pause” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to stop something briefly, intending to continue later.

What is the difference between "pause" and "stop"?

To pause is to stop something briefly with the intention of continuing later, while to stop can mean ending it altogether. That is why media players have separate pause and stop buttons: pause holds your place, stop ends playback.

What is the difference between a "pause" and a "break"?

A pause is a very short halt in an activity, often only moments long, while a break is usually a longer, planned interruption taken for rest, such as a lunch break. You pause mid-sentence; you take a break from work.

Are "pause" and "paws" pronounced the same?

Yes — "pause" and "paws" are homophones in most accents of English. Context makes the meaning clear: a pause is a short halt in an activity, while paws are animals' feet, so mixing them up is purely a spelling slip.

People also searched

break continue proceed suspension halt hesitate initiate hesitation interruption intermission lull breather

Nearby words

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