interrupted

1 of 2

adjective

in·​ter·​rupt·​ed ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-təd 

1

: broken in upon : discontinuous

an interrupted stripe

interrupted service

an interrupted phone call

interrupted sleep

2

botany : not uniform : broken in arrangement or symmetry

… flowers whorled in interrupted clusters.

—Charles E. Turner

3

phonetics : consisting of or containing a stop in articulation

\k\ is an interrupted consonant

interruptedly adverb

… Jeanne's mother had been … schoolmate and good girlfriend to Maria Gostrey, who had moreover enjoyed since then, though interruptedly … , other glimpses of her.

—Henry James

interruptedness noun

"I am much obliged to you for giving me full notice," he said, with a firm intention in his tone, yet with an interruptedness in his delivery which showed that he spoke unwillingly.

—George Eliot

interrupted

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of interrupt entry 1

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

During that strike, workers allegedly destroyed railroad company property and interrupted service. —Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022

Then again, so much of this drama about interrupted lives, unexpected detours, and attempts at (re)connection requires a deep reading between the lines. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2023

Earlier this month, fighting interrupted power supply to the plant for half a day, forcing staff to activate backup generators. —Hanna Arhirova, ajc, 27 Mar. 2023

In a 90-second sneak peek that dropped on Wednesday (March 15), the singer — rocking a 1970s-style choppy shag cut and all-black ensemble — is minding her own business while filling up her orange muscle car when she’s interrupted not once, but twice. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Mar. 2023

The Marvel star shared a clip of him trying to meditate while underwater — but the moment was adorably interrupted when one of his 8-year-old twin sons swam by. —Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2023

First released by Columbia Records, these 12-inch discs could play up to 21 minutes of interrupted music per side. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Mar. 2023

The two years of interrupted learning mean first grade teachers have a big task, said Michael Akes, senior director of assessment and evaluation for the Anchorage School District. —Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Apr. 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1