hit pause

verb

To pause (an activity); stop, terminate.

“We need to hit pause on this project for now, and switch gears to the next thing.”

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Meanings

verbhit pause (third-person singular simple present hits pause, present participle hitting pause, simple past and past participle hit pause)

present singular third person hits pause · participle present hitting pause

  1. idiomaticTo pause (an activity); stop, terminate.

    We need to hit pause on this project for now, and switch gears to the next thing.

Origin

Refers to hitting a literal pause button (on a controller, etc.).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hit pause. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20pause

MLA

“hit pause.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20pause. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hit pause,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hit%20pause.

Source: hit pause on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.