interlude

noun

in·​ter·​lude ˈin-tər-ˌlüd 

1

: an intervening or interruptive period, space, or event : interval

2

: a musical composition inserted between the parts of a longer composition, a drama, or a religious service

3

: a usually short simple play or dramatic entertainment

Synonyms of interlude

• interval
• interruption
• hiatus
• pause
• gap
• intermission

Examples of interlude in a Sentence

She left for a brief interlude.

He has resumed his acting career after a two-year interlude.

They always met in the city for their romantic interludes.

a drama with musical interludes

Recent Examples on the Web

All that and Muppets will be crammed into an 11-minute set curated by Martin on behalf of the anti-poverty group Global Citizen, which is producing this unprecedented musical interlude. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026

The literate era will prove to be a brief interlude between the oral and digital ages. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Vinyl scratches, cut-and-paste sound bites, and snowy static pepper its bouquet of styles, while a handful of shorter interlude tracks help the band speak its narrative message. — Kat Bein, SPIN, 7 July 2026

His warnings contrasted starkly with the brief but glorious interludes of culinary fabulism that punctuated our travel down South. — Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enterlude "dramatic entertainment," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French entreludie, borrowed from Medieval Latin interlūdium, from Latin inter- inter- + lūdus "play, game" (derivative of lūdere "to play") + -ium, suffix of compound nouns — more at ludicrous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for interlude

• altitude
• amplitude
• aptitude
• attitude
• barbecued
• certitude
• desuetude
• devalued
• finitude
• fortitude
• gratitude
• interviewed

Kids Definition

interlude

noun

in·​ter·​lude ˈint-ər-ˌlüd 

1

: a performance between the acts of a play

2

: an intervening period, space, or event : interval

3

: a musical composition inserted between the parts of a longer one, a drama, or a religious service