Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with thread-based conversation management are described. One system embodiment includes a conversation manager that provides access to communication applications, that provides lifecycle management for an electronic conversation carried on over the communication applications, and that organizes conversation elements belonging to a conversation carried on using the communication applications. The conversation lifecycle may include pausing and resuming a conversation carried on, at least in part, over a synchronous, online, real-time, communication application. The system embodiment may also include a thread manager to provide thread-based storage for conversation elements.