giving me pause

USAGE SUMMARY

"giving me pause" is correct and can be used in written English.
This phrase means to cause someone to hesitate or be reluctant to continue a course of action. For example, "The high cost of the project is giving me pause, but I'm still considering it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The "Strawberry Brick" is giving me pause, however.

Princeton University

But events of late are giving me pause.

The New York Times

Immediately after the pitch meeting, Fogelson had told me, "The only thing that gave me pause was that nothing was giving me pause.

The New Yorker

But once at speed, the engine thrashed and the car was buffeted by the wake of passing tractor trailers, giving me pause when I thought about taking one hand off the wheel.

The New York Times

Those thoughts range from haunting me, to giving me pause, to invigorating me to seize the moment and day.

HuffPost

Yet, although not constantly in our faces, racism and discrimination remain close to the surface, giving me pause personally and as a citizen.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

That gave me pause.

The New York Times - Magazine

Which gave me pause.

The Guardian

Sure gives me pause.

The Washington Post

This gave me pause.

The New York Times - Sports

This especially gave me pause.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "giving me pause" when you want to express a sense of hesitation or doubt about a decision or situation. It's more nuanced than simple disagreement and implies thoughtful consideration.

Common error

While "giving me pause" is acceptable in many situations, avoid using it excessively in very casual conversations. Opt for simpler language like "making me think twice" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "giving me pause" functions as an idiomatic expression indicating a moment of hesitation or doubt. It is used to express that something is causing the speaker to stop and think carefully before proceeding. As Ludwig AI indicates, this expression is perfectly correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Academia

29%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "giving me pause" is a correct and useful idiomatic phrase for expressing hesitation or doubt. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and the analysis reveals it is most commonly found in news and academic contexts. When writing, use it to indicate thoughtful consideration and select related phrases such as "making me think twice" or "giving me second thoughts" to fine-tune the intended nuance. Avoid overuse in very casual settings and be mindful of the subtle differences in meaning when choosing alternative expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

giving me second thoughts

Highlights a change of mind or the emergence of doubts.

giving me reservations

Implies a set of doubts or concerns about something.

giving me reason to doubt

Highlights that a specific reason exists which generates the uncertainty.

making me think twice

Emphasizes the act of reconsidering a decision or action.

making me reconsider

Directly refers to the act of re-evaluating something.

causing me to hesitate

Focuses on the direct action of causing hesitation rather than a general feeling of uncertainty.

giving rise to my concerns

Emphasizes the generation of worries and anxieties.

making me wary

Focuses on becoming cautious or suspicious.

making me apprehensive

Highlights the feeling of anxiety or unease.

prompting my reluctance

Stresses a disinclination to proceed.

FAQs

How can I use "giving me pause" in a sentence?

You can use "giving me pause" to indicate that something is causing you to hesitate or reconsider a decision. For example, "The complexity of the project is giving me pause, but I'm still interested".

What's a more formal alternative to "giving me pause"?

In more formal contexts, you could use "prompting my reluctance" or "giving me reservations" to convey a similar meaning with a slightly more elevated tone.

Is "giving me pause" the same as "giving me second thoughts"?

While similar, "giving me second thoughts" /s/giving+me+second+thoughts specifically implies a change of mind or the emergence of doubts, whereas "giving me pause" suggests a more general hesitation or uncertainty.

What can I say instead of "giving me pause"?

You can use alternatives like "making me think twice", "causing me to hesitate", or "prompting my reluctance" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.