1
: a temporary stop
2
a
: a break in a verse
b
: a brief suspension of the voice to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts
3
: temporary inaction especially as caused by uncertainty : hesitation
4
a
: the sign denoting a fermata
b
: a mark (such as a period or comma) used in writing or printing to indicate or correspond to a pause of voice
5
: a reason or cause for pausing (as to reconsider)
a thought that should give one pause
6
: a function of an electronic device that pauses a recording
Synonyms
Examples of pause in a Sentence
Noun
There was a brief pause in the conversation.
After a pause the teacher continued the lesson.
He hit pause on the player and explained the significance of the song's lyrics.
Please hit the pause button on the remote control.
Verb
She paused for a few seconds before crossing the street.
We paused briefly to look at the scenery.
He talked for over an hour without pausing.
He picked up the remote control and paused the movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 5 July 2024
It’s gone well enough for Bay FC’s coach to bemoan the timing of his club’s impending pause.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 5 July 2024
Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
The policy also has been paused while court proceedings play out after the Milwaukee Police Association, the union representing rank-and-file officers, sued over the policy.
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pause 
Noun
But new research by the Bank of America Institute suggests that job hoppers could be taking a pause as pay bumps for changing jobs fizzle.
—Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 5 July 2024
It’s gone well enough for Bay FC’s coach to bemoan the timing of his club’s impending pause.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 5 July 2024
Verb
Nearly 50 colleges and universities, mostly public institutions, have paused, ended or reconfigured hundreds of race-conscious scholarships worth millions of dollars to comply with the ruling, according to a Washington Post tally.
—Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 9 July 2024
The policy also has been paused while court proceedings play out after the Milwaukee Police Association, the union representing rank-and-file officers, sued over the policy.
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pause
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pause.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to pause
Dictionary Entries Near pause
Cite this Entry
“Pause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pause. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pause
1 of 2 noun1
: a temporary stop or rest
2
: the sign {fermata} placed over or under a musical note, chord, or rest to show that it is to be held longer than usual
3
: a reason for pausing
a thought that should give pause
pause
2 of 2 verb
paused; pausing
1
: to stop temporarily
2
: to linger for a time
pause on a high note
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pause "a temporary stop, pause," from Latin pausa "a pause" — related to repose entry 1
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