What does "pause" mean?
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
Pause
/pɔz/ intj, noun, verb, slang
intj, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
- Grammar: pause is listed as intj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: break, halt, intermission, interruption.
- Useful contrasts: celestial motion, continuous flow, flat ground workout.
- Usage evidence: After an awkward pause, Bill took her by the hand and dragged her upstairs.
How to use "pause"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pause" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pause" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pause" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pause" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pause" is acting as intj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "break" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pause", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
"If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough."
- 2 A button whose functions are pausing and resuming something, such as a DVD player, a video game or a computer.
- 3 temporary inactivity wordnet
- 4 A short time for relaxing and doing something else.
- 5 a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 Hesitation; suspense; doubt. figuratively
"to take pause"
- 7 In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation mark.
"Teach the pupil to mind the pauses."
- 8 A break or paragraph in writing.
"He [Paul] is full of the Matter he treats and writes with Warmth, which uſually neglects Method, and thoſe Partitions and Pauſes which Men educated in the Schools of Rhetoricians uſually obſerve."
- 9 A sign indicating continuance of a note or rest.
- 10 Alternative letter-case form of Pause (“a button that pauses or resumes something”). alt-of
Verb
- 1 To take a temporary rest, take a break for a short period after an effort. intransitive
- 2 cease an action temporarily wordnet
- 3 To stop (an activity) for a while. transitive
"The general public could therefore have been forgiven for thinking that work on the new station had stopped. But pausing work on an active construction site of this size is not straightforward."
- 4 interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing wordnet
- 5 To interrupt an activity and wait. intransitive
"When telling the scary story, he paused for effect."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To hesitate; to hold back; to delay. intransitive
"Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture."
- 7 To halt the play or playback of, temporarily, so that it can be resumed from the same point. transitive
"to pause a song, a video, or a computer game"
- 8 To consider; to reflect. intransitive, obsolete
"Take time to pause."
Intj
- 1 Used immediately after a statement to indicate that there was no innuendo or homosexual meaning intended, especially when such a meaning is a reasonable interpretation. slang
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
celestial motioncontinuous flowflat ground workoutgentle tug
Example
"After an awkward pause, Bill took her by the hand and dragged her upstairs."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pause"?
Common synonyms include: break, halt, intermission, interruption, suspension, a halt.
How do you use "pause" in a sentence?
After an awkward pause, Bill took her by the hand and dragged her upstairs.
How do you pronounce "pause"?
Pronounced /pɔz/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle French pause, from Latin pausa, from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis), from Ancient Greek παύω (paúō, “stop”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of pausa.
Etymology 2
From pause.