pause

noun
UK: /pɔːz/
US: /pɔːz/

  1. A short period of time when someone stops doing something.

    1. I need a pause to take a break from working on the computer. [ ] [ ]
    2. After a long pause, she continued speaking about her experience abroad. [ ] [ ]

  2. A temporary stop in music or speech.

    1. The music had a pause before the singer started to perform. [ ] [ ]
    2. He took a dramatic pause for emphasis before revealing the final result. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

break interrupt cease interval suspend interruption rest
pause verb

  1. To stop briefly.

    1. Please pause the video so I can read the text on the screen. [ ] [ ]
    2. She paused, considering her options before making a final decision. [ ] [ ]

  2. To interrupt action temporarily.

    1. Pause for a moment and think about what you really want to achieve. [ ] [ ]
    2. The negotiations paused as both sides considered new proposals to find a path forward. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pause" in English means: A short period of time when someone stops doing something., A temporary stop in music or speech..

The phonetic transcription of "pause" is /pɔːz/ in British English and /pɔːz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pause": break, interrupt, cease, interval, suspend, interruption, rest.

Example usage of "pause": "I need a pause to take a break from working on the computer.". More examples on the page.