Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

timeout

noun

/ˈtaɪmaʊt/

Definition

A timeout refers to a period of time during which a person or system is temporarily prevented from acting or engaging in a particular activity.

Examples

After a long day of work, I decided to take a timeout to relax with a good book.
The coach called for a timeout to discuss strategy with the team.
When the children were too noisy, she put them on a timeout to calm down.

Meaning

Timeouts are often used to pause or stop an interaction, whether in a social context, when disciplining a child, or in computer systems where a process needs to be halted due to inactivity.