How to pronounce pause
Say it like PAWZ. Pause is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pause. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PAWZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pause pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PAWZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of pause
American and British speakers say pause in essentially the same way: /pɔz/ in the US and /pɔːz/ in the UK.
British respelling: PAWZ.
What does pause mean?
- a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
- temporary inactivity
- interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing“The speaker paused”
- cease an action temporarily“We pause for station identification”“let's break for lunch”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with pause
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pause.
Questions about saying pause
How do you pronounce pause?
Say PAWZ. The American pronunciation is /pɔz/. In British English it is /pɔːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pause?
Pause is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PAWZ.
Do Americans and Brits say pause the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pɔz/ and the British form is /pɔːz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.