interrupt

verb

ˌin-tə-ˈrəpt How to pronounce interrupt (audio)
Definition of interruptnext
as in to intrude
to cause a disruption in a conversation or discussion it's rude to interrupt when someone is making an important point

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of interrupt Essentially, azelaic acid interrupts that chain at multiple points. — Kelsey Stewart, Allure, 18 Aug. 2026 Heavy rains that began Sunday have made conditions worse, soaking makeshift shelters and temporarily interrupting some debris-removal operations. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Per its Sotheby’s auction listing, scrolls of diamonds are interrupted by sparkling floral motifs, while a romantic heart emblem sits at the center. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Aug. 2026 People interrupt each other, hesitate to speak up, overlook important perspectives, or drift away from the purpose of the meeting. — Alison Wood Brooks, Harvard Business Review, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for interrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interrupt
  1. intrude
  2. bother
  3. cut in
  4. add
  5. interpose
  6. break in
Verb
  • Mow Regularly Keeping your lawn and garden tidy with frequent mowing and weeding is the best way to ensure poison ivy never gets a chance to intrude.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Ordinary concerns like money do intrude on occasion, pitting working-class locals against wealthy tourists, but not to the point that the gang is beholden to anything so mundane as a set work schedule.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrude
Verb
  • Contreras rarely takes days off but asked for a day off Sunday with his leg bothering him.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Chapman won’t play another game for the Giants this year after undergoing core muscle surgery earlier this week, but the 33-year-old has finally addressed an ailment that’s bothered him for effectively the whole season.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • However, there are some experts that see the cut in military drills as a positive gesture, suggesting that if the joint exercises are escalating tensions, then reducing them should lessen the chance of a conflict.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Michigan, with the highest caseload, successfully fought grant cuts in court.
    — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut in
Verb
  • The drones also targeted the residence of the head of the protection agency, the statement added.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Take a styling cue from this showgoer and add a pop of red—or two.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of add
Verb
  • The short-haired friend interposed herself on the bench between the twenty-three-year-old woman and the thirty-five-year-old man, putting her arm around the former and totally ignoring the latter.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Language, being a product of rationality, lacks the capacity to interpose itself.
    — Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 13 June 2026
Definition of interpose
Verb
  • There is still no significant break in the heat showing up in the extended forecast.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • And the Sox received a bit of a bad break in the eighth with a 1-hour, 28-minute rain delay that shortened Grant Taylor’s relief outing to one inning.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of break in

Browse Nearby Words

interrogatory
interrupt
interrupted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interrupt. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on interrupt

Nglish: Translation of interrupt for Spanish Speakers

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