pauses
Momentary stops midstream
Pauses is the plural of pause—temporary stops or breaks in activity, speech, or motion.
A speaker's pauses can convey emphasis or uncertainty.
After several pauses, she continued her story.
As a verb, pauses means to stop temporarily: He pauses before answering difficult questions.
Interrupt continuity
- intermissionScheduled performance pause
- recessPause in activity
- respiteShort pause from hardship
- breatherBrief period of rest
timeout · interlude · hiatus · lull · halftime · coffee break · pit stop · downtime
Lacking in sound
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- hushAbsence of sound
- lullTemporary period of quiet
- dead airUnintended broadcast quiet
soundlessness · beat of silence · speechlessness · muteness · taciturnity · wordlessness · radio silence
Sustained reflective attention
- meditationFocused attention practice
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
musing · thoughtfulness · mindfulness · moment of silence · beat · processing · digesting
Forceful interruption of process
- haltComplete sudden stop
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
- cessationA full stopping
- stoppageInterruption of flow
discontinuity · gap · freeze · standstill · moratorium · adjournment · ceasefire · hold
State of being unsure
- doubtLack of firm belief
- indecisionFailure to decide
- tentativenessState of being uncertain
- falterLose momentum or steadiness
waver · stammer · stutter · equivocation · vacillation · dither · hem and haw · second-guessing
break
Interrupt continuity
- intermissionScheduled performance pause
- recessPause in activity
- respiteShort pause from hardship
breather · timeout · interlude · hiatus · lull · halftime · coffee break · pit stop · downtime · recovery
quiet
Lacking in sound
dead air · soundlessness · beat of silence · speechlessness · muteness · taciturnity · wordlessness · radio silence
contemplation
Sustained reflective attention
- meditationFocused attention practice
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
consideration · musing · thoughtfulness · mindfulness · moment of silence · beat · processing · digesting
disruption
Forceful interruption of process
- haltComplete sudden stop
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
- cessationA full stopping
stoppage · discontinuity · gap · freeze · standstill · moratorium · adjournment · ceasefire · hold · delay
uncertainty
State of being unsure
- doubtLack of firm belief
- indecisionFailure to decide
- tentativenessState of being uncertain
falter · waver · stammer · stutter · equivocation · vacillation · dither · hem and haw · second-guessing · awkward silence
- actingacting, act, performing, playacting, actor
- suspendhangs, dangles, halts, stops, delays
- nonverbal cuesbody language, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture
- speaking practiceconversation, role play, role-play, fluency, drills
- speech fillersuh, um, er, hmm, like
- stage presencepresence, charisma, confidence, poise, composure
pausescontinues
Proceeds without stopping
proceeds · carries on · goes on · persists · keeps going
- pause buttonTemporary playback halt
- awkward pauseUncomfortable lull in conversation
- hit pauseStop playback temporarily
- dramatic pauseIntentional silence for emphasis
- pregnant pauseSignificant silence conveying unspoken meaning
- long pause