After an awkward pause, Bill took her by the hand and dragged her upstairs.
Source: tatoeba (20376)
Pause
/pɔz/
Synonyms for "pause" (466 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (94)
Noun(32 words)
breakhaltintermissioninterruptionsuspensionadjournmentsappeal stayarrestarrestsbalkingbaulkbidingbreak in schedulebreak routinebreaksbreatherbreatherscaesuracaesuraecaesuras
Show 12 more words
calmcarackcataleptic episodecatnappingcease talkingcessationcessationsconsiderdeepfreezedelaydelay startdeliberate
Determiner(1 words)
a halt
abeyanceaccentaccent markafterthoughtback downbalancebarbashfulnessbindblenchblockblockadeblockagebogglebogglingboundarybreachbreakbreathbreathe
Show 35 more words
breatherbreathing placebreathing spacebreathing spellbreathing timebreve restbureaucratic delaycaesuracall a breakcall a recesscall it a daycall timecancelcease firecease-firecessationcharactercheckcigarette breakclause boundaryclause terminalclose juncturecocktail hourcoffee breakcoloncommacompunctioncustosday offdebatedeclare a recessdelaydelayagedelayed reactiondeliberate
Interjection(2 words)
avastdang delay
Adjective(2 words)
brief interruptionbrief relief
Strong matches (139)
demurdemurraldetentiondiffidencedirectdiscontinuancediscontinuationdiscontinuediscontinuitydotdouble takedowntimedraggingdropeighth restenforced respiteexpression markfalling terminalfalterfaltering
Show 56 more words
fearfermatafight shyfight shy offissureflinchgaphalf resthalf timehalf-time intermissionhalthang backhang offhang uphang-uphappy hourhave qualmshem and hawhesitancehesitancyhesitanthesitatehesitationhiatushindranceholdhold offhold uphold-upholdupholidayhoverhum and hawinteriminterludeintermezzointermissionintermitintermittenceinterregnuminterruptinterruptionintervalintervenejamjibjuncturekey signatureknock offlacunalaglagginglapselay offlayofflead
Noun(38 words)
demurraldemursdisableddisfluencydormancydutch brekenexecution stallfallowfallowingfreezefreeze overfurloughinggaphalftimehalftimeshaltinghaltshemminghesitatehesitating
Show 18 more words
hesitationhesitationshiatushiatuseshushesidle periodidle timeintermission breakintermissionsinterregnuminterruptinterruptionsinterruptsintersticeintersticeslapselayoverlayovers
Verb(17 words)
dillydallieddisablesfallowedfaltersfrozegive spaceground to a halthaltedhesitatehesitatedhesitateshibernatedhibernatinghold fireholidayedidledintermit
Adjective(6 words)
dramatic stillnessevolutionary pause phaseextended pausefallow land useidle eventinstant silence
Pronoun(1 words)
Preposition(1 words)
in stasis
Related words (233)
let upletupligaturelingerlogjamlullmake bones aboutmarkmark timemeasuremetronomic markminimmodestymoratoriumnapnotationobjectionobstructionoff-timeopen juncture
Show 105 more words
paperasserieperiodplateaupointpoint of reposeponderpresaprocrastinateprotestpull backquailqualmqualm of consciencequalmishnessquarter restquiet spellrecessrecoilred tapered-tapeismred-taperyreliefremissionreprieverespiterestresting pointretardanceretardationretreatrising terminalsandhiscruplescrupulosityscrupulousnesssegnosemicolonshilly shallyshilly-shallyshrinkshrinkingshyshy atshynesssignsignaturesixteenth restslackslow upslow-upslowdownslownessslurspacespellstammerstand downstand-downstandstillstaystay of executionstick atsticklesticklingstopstop for breathstop to considerstoppagestraddle the fencestrainstrain atstumblesurceasesuspendsuspensionswellsymboltake a breaktake a recesstake a resttake fivetake tentake time outtarrytea breaktempo markterminalthink twicethink twice abouttietie uptie-uptime lagtime offtime outtime signaturetrucevacationvinculumwaitwaverwincewithdrawword boundaryyield
Noun(82 words)
letupslong moment of silencelulllullinglullsmeantimemoment of reflectionmoment of silencemoments of stillnessmoratoriamoratoriummoratoriumsmost temporary immobilitymothballmothballingmothballsnonplusoffline stagnationon holdparts
Show 62 more words
pause modepause switchpaused statepausingperiod of motionlessnessperiod of silenceperiods of immobilityponderportuguese intervaloproject pausequietrecessrecessesrecovery periodrefreshmentreluctancerespiterestrest breakrest intervalrestingresting capacityrestsshortstopssiestasiestassilencesilence fellsilencesslacksnoozesspanish hesitarstagnation periodstagnationsstallstallingstammerstandstillnessstandstillsstasisstop motionstopoverstoppagestoppagesstoppingstopping motionstopsstutteringstutterssurceasessuspendsuspendingsuspensionstime out strategiestime-outtimeouttollingtolling statute of limitationstrial stasistrucesvacationswaiting
Adjective(12 words)
long haltlongest silencerecessedregular breaksshort focus pauseshort-term immobilitysilent intervalsingle momentsudden silenceswedish rasttemporary immobilitieswide gap
Verb(12 words)
Determiner(1 words)
the rest
Interjection(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: break, halt, intermission, interruption, suspension.
- Sentence evidence is available for pause, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "pause".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pause"
Keep "pause" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "pause" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "pause", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "pause" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
17 entriesbreak upcognitive processcut offdelaydeliberationdisruptinactivityinterruptinterruptionintervalplayback statussilence in musicspeech patternstopthinking
Showing 16 of 17 words.
More specific
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
Collocations
9 entriesbrief pauseclassroom pausemental pausemusical pausepause buttonpause for thoughtpause in classpause periodshort pause
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
8 entriesSample sentences
27 total sentences available.
In music or speaking, a pause is frequently used for dramatic effect.
Source: tatoeba (25439)
There was a momentary pause.
Source: tatoeba (27714)
We should sometimes pause to think.
Source: tatoeba (28833)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pause"?
Closest matches include break, halt, intermission, interruption, suspension.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pause"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.