hiatus
noun
hi·a·tus hī-ˈā-təs 
1
a
: a break in or as if in a material object : gap
the weedy hiatus between the town and the railroad
Willa Cather
Willa Catherthe hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party J. G. Colton
J. G. Colton b
biology : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ
2
a
: an interruption in time or continuity : break
especially : a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted
after a 5-year hiatus from writing
a summer hiatus
b
: the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound
Did you know?
Hiatus comes from hiare, a Latin verb meaning "to gape" or "to yawn," and first appeared in English in the middle of the 16th century. Originally, the word referred to a gap or opening in something, such as a cave opening in a cliff. In the 18th century, British novelist Laurence Sterne used the word humorously in his novel Tristram Shandy, writing of "the hiatus in Phutatorius's breeches." These days, hiatus is usually used in a temporal sense to refer to a pause or interruption (as in a song), or a period during which an activity is temporarily suspended (such as a hiatus from teaching).
Synonyms
- breach
- break
- discontinuity
- gap
- gulf
- hole
- interstice
- interval
- opening
- rent
- rift
- separation
- void
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The band is making an album again after a five-year hiatus. steam was rising from an hiatus in the ground
Recent Examples on the Web Euphoria star Zendaya won her second award for the series after sitting out last year’s ceremony while the high school drama was on a long hiatus. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2022 The larger-than-life glam-emo-punkers, whose dense, high-drama albums made for the best rock of the 2000s and early ‘10s and whose influence can be heard in modern artists like WILLOW and Yungblud, reunite after a decade-long hiatus. BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2022 With that group still on a long hiatus, the Watkinses have mostly focused on solo careers or backing other artists, like Browne, who has taken them out on tour as both opening act and members of his band. Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2022 He's returned to Instagram after a years-long hiatus. Maria Yagoda, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 At the same time, Marvel's current Fantastic Four comic (which has been written by Dan Slott since the team returned from a years-long hiatus in 2018) is coming to an end with issue #46 later this month. Christian Holub, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the company’s four additional resorts in Europe and Asia, have been going gangbusters, in part strengthened by international travel that resumed after a long pandemic hiatus. Robbie Whelan, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 After a long, pandemic hiatus, Social Security Administration offices are open for business. John F. Wasik, Forbes, 4 July 2022 Lambert returned to work after a long hiatus in July 2019. Nasha Smith, PEOPLE.com, 29 June 2022 See More
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2022 The larger-than-life glam-emo-punkers, whose dense, high-drama albums made for the best rock of the 2000s and early ‘10s and whose influence can be heard in modern artists like WILLOW and Yungblud, reunite after a decade-long hiatus. BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2022 With that group still on a long hiatus, the Watkinses have mostly focused on solo careers or backing other artists, like Browne, who has taken them out on tour as both opening act and members of his band. Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2022 He's returned to Instagram after a years-long hiatus. Maria Yagoda, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 At the same time, Marvel's current Fantastic Four comic (which has been written by Dan Slott since the team returned from a years-long hiatus in 2018) is coming to an end with issue #46 later this month. Christian Holub, EW.com, 17 Aug. 2022 Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the company’s four additional resorts in Europe and Asia, have been going gangbusters, in part strengthened by international travel that resumed after a long pandemic hiatus. Robbie Whelan, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 After a long, pandemic hiatus, Social Security Administration offices are open for business. John F. Wasik, Forbes, 4 July 2022 Lambert returned to work after a long hiatus in July 2019. Nasha Smith, PEOPLE.com, 29 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin, from hiare to yawn — more at yawn
First Known Use
1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing hiatus
Medical Definition
hiatus
noun
hi·a·tus hī-ˈāt-əs
: a gap or passage through an anatomical part or organ
especially : an opening through which another part or organ passes (such as the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus and vagus nerves pass)
hiatus
noun
1
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) steam was rising from a hiatus in the ground Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- gap
- hole
- interval
- opening
- rift
- break
- void
- discontinuity
- fissure
- crack
- breach
- crevice
- rent
- separation
- gulf
- split
- slit
- interstice
- cleft
- slot
- fracture
- cavity
- abyss
- notch
- pore
- chasm
- rupture
- aperture
- severance
- orifice
- cranny
- interspace
- gape
- chink
- sundering
2
as in void
an incomplete or deficient area a hiatus in the law which prevented the district attorney from prosecuting the offenders Synonyms & Similar Words
- gap
- void
- hole
- space
- lacuna
- deficit
- failing
- deficiency
- disability
- shortfall
- impairment
- weakness
- detriment
- lack
- shortcoming
- defectiveness
- insufficience
- incompleteness
- inadequacy
- fault
- insufficiency
- need
- inadequateness
- imperfection
- want
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- completeness
- fullness
3
as in interruption
a break in continuity a three-year hiatus before the fifth book in the series appeared Synonyms & Similar Words
- interruption
- interval
- gap
- pause
- interlude
- interregnum
- interim
- lull
- intermission
- hiccup
- discontinuity
- hiccough
- lag
- parenthesis
- caesura
- interstice
- time lag
- lapse
- window
- suspension
- discontinuance
- comma
- adjournment
- entr'acte
- respite
- space
- rest
- interspace
- bumper
- recess
- subinterval
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continuation
- continuity
- run
- progression
- stretch
- continuum
- procession