change of pace

American

[cheynj uhv peys] / ˈtʃeɪndʒ əv ˈpeɪs /

noun

temporary shift or variation in a normal routine or regular pattern of activity.

Reading a mystery novel has been a real change of pace for me.
Baseball: Older Use. changeup.

change of pace Idioms

A shift in normal routine, a variation in usual activities or pattern, as in She's smiling in that one photo, just for a change of pace, or After six hours at my desk I need a change of pace, so I'm going for a swim. This term originated in a number of sports where strategy can involve altering the speed of, for example, a pitched or struck ball or a horse's gait. By the mid-1900s it was being transferred to other enterprises.

Etymology

Origin of change of pace

First recorded in 1650–60; 1865–70 change of pace for def. 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Well, that’s a bonus for me, isn’t it? I’m a hopper myself. Love to hop. Good for the circulation, so I’m told, in moderation. But marching would be a nice change of pace.”

From Literature

Disney California Adventure would open with few attractions that rose to the Disneyland level, and yet The Times was kind in its opening coverage, praising the park’s change of pace from its neighbor and admiring how its architecture blurred fiction and reality.

From Los Angeles Times

On the surface, it’s a delightful, enriching change of pace.

From The Wall Street Journal

Boaz would like nothing more than to be left alone; it would have been a lovely change of pace from his current circumstances.

From Literature

I don’t want to sugarcoat the challenge of finding a job in your 60s, but a change of pace might help you feel differently about still working.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023