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

• 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

Noise from loud ‘information laden’ conversations and music, task interruptions, alerts from social media applications, email, Teams calls, visual distractions all of which break your concentration and require you to re-focus expending un-necessary cognitive energy. —Andrew Mawson, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Sklar seems delighted to have a fresh audience, bloviating almost without interruption, nearly all of which Lori absorbs with a poker face. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025

Dillinger’s vehicle went into the water in a brief, two-year interruption in the lake’s longer-term decline. —Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Construction at the site, which stretches over 3,000 acres, has been suspended, but there was no interruption at the adjacent EV manufacturing facility. —Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for interruption

• incorruption
• corruption
• disruption
• eruption
• irruption