pausing

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "pausing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a period of hesitation, delay, or rest in an action, process, or series of events. For example: "After pausing for a moment, he continued speaking".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

The Guardian

The Economist

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As RTE ringmaster Bill O'Herlihy tut-tutted in a fatherly and faux po-faced fashion, pundit Eamon Dunphy got to work with his new toy, an electronic pen with which he could enhance and illustrate his analysis by drawing white lines, circles, arrows and squiggles on a monitor after pausing the VT with an often aggressive roar of "Stop it there!" at some unseen flunkie in the production suite.

The Guardian - Sport

Anyone pausing to give a considered, complex answer would be talked over and shouted down: it would be like having Mary Warnock on Mock the Week.

The Guardian - Opinion

Labor is happy to support pausing the rebate limit but are opposed to freezing the income thresholds which they say will hurt the most vulnerable families.

The Guardian

Today's protest against the education cuts was uplifting: students, staff and others from all over the country gathered in their thousands to walk the route between Embankment and Tate Britain, pausing to boo at Downing Street.

The Guardian - Opinion

But if the sacred concept "independence" can only be guaranteed by royal charter, it might be worth the hacked-offers pausing for a moment to focus on the BBC (whose freedom surely matters just as much to us all).

The Guardian

"My films are always a reflection of where I am in my life," he says of The Woman in the Fifth, pausing to sip his macchiato.

The Guardian - Film

In other health savings, the government will gain nearly $1.7bn by pausing indexation of Medicare Benefits Schedule fees for two years from July this year and income thresholds for the Medicare Levy Surcharge and Private Health Insurance Rebate for three years from July next year.

The Guardian

"He enriched and invigorated the church with his magisterium, his goodness, guide and faith," he said, pausing and adding: "His humility and his gentleness".

The Guardian

"The thing I am most excited about," says its creator, "is the idea of a lonely man with a dog walking some isolated headland – and pausing as this strange island moves past him".

The Guardian - Arts

Food writer Jenni Fleetwood recommends working up an appetite walking along the golden beach in Hout Bay, pausing to watch fur seals biding their time with a little backstroke before the fishing boats return to port.

The Guardian - Travel

It was a technological advance Dunphy would use to comical effect some years later, pausing the action during a highlights package featuring Wimbledon to draw a large circle around John Hartson's ample buttocks and declare "that is not the arse of a £7m player".

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pausing" to indicate a deliberate, albeit temporary, halt in an action or process. It suggests a moment of reflection, consideration, or transition before continuing.

Common error

Avoid using "pausing" when you actually mean a complete and final stop. "Pausing" implies a temporary interruption, not a permanent cessation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "pausing" is as a present participle or gerund, functioning as part of a continuous verb tense (e.g., "is pausing") or as a noun (e.g., "a moment of pausing"). As demonstrated by Ludwig, it describes an ongoing or habitual action of briefly stopping.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

The Guardian

25%

The Economist

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0.001%

Science

0.001%

Academia

0.001%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pausing" functions primarily as a verb form indicating a temporary interruption or cessation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. Its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse writing contexts, and its prevalence in news and media sources highlights its common usage in describing ongoing events. The alternative phrases, such as "taking a break" or "stopping momentarily", offer nuanced ways to express similar ideas. Using "pausing" correctly involves understanding its temporary connotation and avoiding its misuse for permanent stops.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stopping momentarily

Highlights the brief duration of the halt.

halting briefly

Implies a short, intentional cessation.

ceasing for a moment

Emphasizes the temporary nature of stopping an action.

taking a break

Emphasizes a temporary cessation of activity for rest or relaxation.

interrupting briefly

Focuses on the act of breaking continuity for a short time.

breaking temporarily

Focuses on fracturing the continuity for a limited duration.

suspending temporarily

Suggests a formal or official interruption that will be resumed later.

desisting briefly

Implies a voluntary cessation from an action.

taking a respite

Suggests a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.

holding back

Implies restraining or delaying an action.

FAQs

How can I use "pausing" in a sentence?

You can use "pausing" to indicate a temporary stop or interruption in an action. For example, "After "pausing" to consider the options, she made her decision."

What are some alternatives to "pausing"?

Some alternatives to "pausing" include "taking a break", "stopping momentarily", or "halting briefly", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "pausing" and "stopping"?

"Pausing" generally implies a temporary interruption with the intention to resume, while "stopping" can imply either a temporary or permanent cessation. Consider the context to choose the most appropriate word.

When is it appropriate to use "pausing" in writing?

Use "pausing" when you want to convey a brief interruption or hesitation in an action or process, suggesting that it will continue afterward. It's suitable for describing moments of thought, reflection, or transition.