PAUSED Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

paused

verb

past tense of pause

as in hesitated

to come to a temporary halt in one's activity he paused for a moment to regain his composure

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of paused The new lawsuit says that prohibitions like the ones aimed at CNN, MS NOW and Politico — which a judge has paused — violate the rights of ordinary citizens. — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026 OpenAI contained the incident but paused training and evaluation of its most capable models. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 Several were initially contemplated for closure this year, but new Superintendent Rafael Villalobos paused that process last month. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 Mick paused in the middle of it during month two or three of being secretly off birth control. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 When the Devil himself appeared, in a puff of smoke, the town-house alarm went off and the play paused. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 Card access paused if statement balance is not paid within 24 hours. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Some states have paused their diesel taxes, while others have not. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 In response to the backlash, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott paused construction inside the park until the end of September. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paused

hesitated

Verb

While its lawyers have not hesitated to send cease-and-desist letters to AI companies, Disney is among the big media companies looking for ways to get in the AI game and profit from its boom.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Teammates excitedly jumped off the bench, then hesitated when Thiero’s right knee appeared to buckle awkwardly under him.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitated

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pause

paused

pauses

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“Paused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paused. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of paused

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