interruption

noun

in·​ter·​rup·​tion ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-shən 

plural interruptions

1

: an act of interrupting something or someone or the state of being interrupted: such as

a

: a stoppage or hindering of an activity for a time

Our conversation continued without interruption for over an hour.

b

: a break in the continuity of something

Internet service interruptions

2

: something that causes a stoppage or break in the continuity of something

a rude interruption

watching television without commercial interruptions

Synonyms of interruption

• interval
• hiatus
• pause
• gap

Examples of interruption in a Sentence

an interruption in cable service during the lightning storm

a brief interruption in the discussion while we all got coffee

Recent Examples on the Web

The modern brain wasn't designed for constant interruptions. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

In traditional environments, a safety interruption can require a full robot shutdown and restart, sometimes taking up to 10 minutes per incident. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026

That raises the risk of service interruptions for companies that run afoul of US government requests. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 June 2026

Home environments introduce variables, from power interruptions, internet instability, household noise, and isolation, that may contribute to employee dissatisfaction over time. —William Jones, USA Today, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for interruption

• incorruption
• corruption
• disruption
• eruption
• irruption