time-outs

noun

plural of time-out
as in winters
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness we need to take a time-out from our relationship to think things over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of time-outs Both of these non-sung time-outs are astonishingly good. — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 May 2026 Run opposing guards into the ground, step on the gas harder, and force your opponents into spending catch-your-breath time-outs. — Brian Robin, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for time-outs
  1. winters
  2. breaks
  3. lulls
  4. pauses
  5. layoffs
  6. downtimes
  7. interruptions
Noun
  • People have flocked there from California, Washington and Oregon, taking advantage of Boise's lower cost of living, relatively mild winters, and lively outdoor scene.
    — CJ Haddad,Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
  • What a typical El Niño winter looks like No two El Niño winters are the same, but most have temperature and precipitation trends in common.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of winters
Noun
  • Fritz is a master rebuilder, but the Coogs caught some schedule breaks and won six one-possession games in 2025.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Trust breaks when leaders make bets that fail publicly, or announce cuts that are later reversed.
    — Susan LaMotte, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of breaks
Noun
  • Parties have exploited lulls in fighting to buy time, rebuild capabilities and consolidate political or territorial gains ahead of the next round of conflict.
    — Anthony Wanis-St John, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
  • Getty Images There are lulls on the PGA Tour calendar, and this is one of those heading into the John Deere Classic this weekend.
    — Jeff Hartman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of lulls
Noun
  • Suddenly, residents and officials in red states and swing districts such as Texas, Mississippi and Ohio are echoing progressive leaders like Bernie Sanders in calling for pauses on new data centers.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Loud, frequent snoring paired with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing may point to obstructive sleep apnea.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pauses
Noun
  • Fueled by mass layoffs, the Bay Area’s tech talent workforce dropped by 6% from 2022 to 2025.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The prospect of losing millions in property tax revenues has triggered a fervent outcry from Democrats and left-leaning local officials who argue local governments would be forced to resort to layoffs and cut core public services.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of layoffs
Noun
  • These trends often materialize in batch changeovers, supplier changes, line downtimes and traceability challenges.
    — Ihor Yurchenko, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The average response time for phone calls dropped to 6 minutes from 30 minutes in the prior fiscal year; field office wait times decreased to 23 minutes; and removal of online service downtimes has benefited an additional 125,000 users in a single week, according to the agency's findings.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of downtimes
Noun
  • Fraud alerts, transaction declines, connectivity issues, or differences in merchant systems can create interruptions at inconvenient moments.
    — TD Bank, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The goal isn’t to match every piece, Lastiri says, but to reduce visual interruptions.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of interruptions

Browse Nearby Words

time-out
time-outs
timepiece
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Cite this Entry

“Time-outs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/time-outs. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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