---
name: "sigpause"
section: "2"
platform: "macos"
package: "Libc"
version: "1752.120.2"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sigpause"
---

# sigpause(2)

atomically release blocked signals and wait for interrupt

## NAME

**sigpause** – atomically release blocked signals and wait for interrupt

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<signal.h\>**

*int*\

**sigpause**(*int sig*);

## DESCRIPTION

**This** **interface** **is** **made** **obsolete** **by** [sigsuspend(2)](/sigsuspend/2.md).

**Sigpause**() assigns *sig* to the set of masked signals and then waits for a signal to arrive; on return the set of masked signals is restored. *Sig* is usually 0, indicating that no signals are to be blocked. **Sigpause**() always terminates by being interrupted, returning -1 with *errno* set to EINTR.

## COMPATIBILITY

**sigpause**() now takes a signal value and not a mask. This often appears as a hang in sigpause$UNIX2003 or with **sigpause**() returning with *errno* set to EINVAL. Use **sigsuspend**() with signal masks.

## SEE ALSO

[kill(2)](/kill/2.md), [sigaction(2)](/sigaction/2.md), [sigblock(2)](/sigblock/2.md), [sigprocmask(2)](/sigprocmask/2.md), [sigsuspend(2)](/sigsuspend/2.md), [sigvec(2)](/sigvec/2.md)

## HISTORY

The **sigpause**() function call appeared in 4.2BSD and has been deprecated.