interrupt

verb

in·ter·rupt | \ ˌin-tə-ˈrəpt

interrupted; interrupting; interrupts

Definition of interrupt

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to stop or hinder by breaking in interrupted the speaker with frequent questions

2 : to break the uniformity or continuity of a hot spell occasionally interrupted by a period of cool weather

intransitive verb

: to break in upon an action especially : to break in with questions or remarks while another is speaking

interrupt

noun

in·ter·rupt | \ ˌin-tə-ˈrəpt ,

ˈin-tə-ˌrəpt \

Definition of interrupt (Entry 2 of 2)

: a feature of a computer that permits the temporary interruption of one activity (such as the execution of a program) in order to perform another also : the interruption itself

Other Words from interrupt Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about interrupt

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Other words from interrupt

Verb

interruptible \ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-tə-bəl

\ adjective

interruption \ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-shən

\ noun

interruptive \ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-tiv

\ adverb

Examples of interrupt in a Sentence

Verb

It's not polite to interrupt. His dinner was interrupted by a phone call. We interrupt this program to bring you a special announcement. Every summer periods of cool weather occasionally interrupt the intense heat.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

While most residents have their power back, it has been interrupted at times by blackouts, including one caused by a bulldozer hitting a transmission line. — NBC News, "U.S. plans to remove backup power generators in Puerto Rico. Officials worry it's hurricane season.," 11 July 2018 They’re only interrupted by Cupcake, Rhonda’s superfan who bakes for her. — Kathryn Lindsay, refinery29.com, "R29 Binge Club: Glow Season 2, Episodes 1-10," 29 June 2018 Moral superiority in the absence of political power is useless, and self-reassurance in the inevitable upward motion of progress—that it may be interrupted or delayed, but rises inexorably—is self-indulgence. — Jacob Bacharach, The New Republic, "Don’t Count on History to Judge Wisely," 27 June 2018 They were interrupted by a car of four or five men who rolled up and violently robbed them, according to Oak Creek Police Department records. — Elliot Hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Drug deal gone bad leads to shots fired, pistol whipping in Oak Creek," 13 June 2018 Upon climbing a curved stairway to the second-floor newsroom, he is interrupted by a senior vice president. — Steven Goff, chicagotribune.com, "'Goooooool!' Andres Cantor is the Spanish-speaking American voice of the World Cup," 7 June 2018 The contrast of charred skin and the mackerel’s fishiness is so intense that for a moment I’m lost in reverie, until I’m interrupted by a neighboring diner. — Tom Downey, WSJ, "Explore Kyoto With the Chefs Who Are Turning Culinary Tradition on Its Head," 28 May 2018 And yet many times when a real scene is put on stage for us to witness, it is interrupted by a long, intensely detailed digression. — Annika Neklason, The Atlantic, "‘The Trust of the Reader Is Distrusted by Roth’," 24 May 2018 Labor and student union members were marching near the river Seine when they were interrupted by demonstrators clad in black, with some wearing balaclavas and gas masks. — Laignee Barron, Time, "200 Arrested in Paris After Rioters Hijacked a Peaceful May Day Rally," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'interrupt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.