Hold it a minute vs Pause

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Hold it a minute

Informal Top 3,000 (common)

Pause

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 verb

Most formal: Pause Most common: Pause

	Hold it a minute	Pause
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //həʊld ɪt ə ˈmɪn.ɪt// 🇺🇸 //hoʊld ɪt ə ˈmɪnɪt//	🇬🇧 /["/pɔːz/","/ˈpɔːzɪz/","/pɔːzd/","/ˈpɔːzɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/pɔːz/","/ˈpɔːzɪz/","/pɔːzd/","/ˈpɔːzɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	Wait for a moment.	To stop for a short time.
Example	Can you hold it a minute while I check?	Anita paused for a moment, then said: ‘All right’.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 3,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	B2
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	hold it a second, hold it now, hold it longer	briefly, (for) a moment, momentarily, pause for breath, pause for thought, pause only long enough to do something
Antonyms	hurry up, rush, speed	continue, proceed
Common mistakes	Omitting 'it' and saying 'hold a minute'., Using it in formal contexts, which sounds awkward., Confusing with 'hold on' which is more common.	Confusing 'pause' with 'cause' in pronunciation., Using 'paws' (like animal feet) instead of 'pause'., Incorrectly using 'pausing' as a noun instead of a verb.
Usage notes	Use in casual conversations to pause a discussion. Not suitable for formal settings or written communication.	Used in both spoken and written language; appropriate in casual and formal settings. Avoid in very formal speeches where a more structured term may be needed.

See it in real clips

- Down and in. I guess there's no argument. - Hold it a minute, will ya?

Hold it a minute

Frequently asked questions: Hold it a minute vs Pause

What's the difference between Hold it a minute and Pause?

Hold it a minute: Wait for a moment. Pause: To stop for a short time.

Which is more formal: Hold it a minute and Pause?

Pause is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Hold it a minute and Pause?

Pause is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Hold it a minute: Can you hold it a minute while I check? Pause: Anita paused for a moment, then said: ‘All right’.

Can I use Hold it a minute and Pause interchangeably?

Not always. Hold it a minute and Pause are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.