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 All accommodations come without telephones or TVs – and cell service is blissfully patchy, with signals interrupted by Mount Babel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 Hours three and four fly by, interrupted only by a young male black bear crossing our path. — Johanna Wolfe, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026 Five years after Mercedes’ winning streak was interrupted, Wolff pauses when describing his feelings about its comeback. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Backstage, Kevin Owens was interrupted by both Gunther and Finn Balor, who each have their eyes on the WWE Undisputed Championship. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 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
  • The coalition argues in its complaint that the rule exceeds USPS’ statutory authority, violates the Voting Rights Act and intrudes on states’ constitutional power to administer elections.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, argues that the rule exceeds executive authority, conflicts with federal law, and intrudes on states’ constitutional power to administer elections.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrude
Verb
  • Say what’s bothering you before resentment takes over the conversation.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Rafter, bothered by a right shoulder injury, retires after Cedric Pioline breaks his serve in the opening game of the fifth set.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • During slaughter, done in the name of God, the animal must be cut in one swift motion and drained of blood.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Shares of the maker of devices such as pacemakers and stents have been nearly cut in half already this year, under pressure after issuing a weak profit forecast in the first quarter.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut in
Verb
  • Instead, choose textured or handmade-look ceramics to add dimension.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • City restaurants remain heavily weighted toward lunch, while suburban locations can approach an even lunch-dinner split and draw more families, prompting NAYA to add kids’ meals and develop family meals.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 30 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
  • The news about playing home games at an arena inhabited by NBA and NHL teams officially broke in early August.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the early 2000s, Big Break (2003-2015) was indeed the Golf Channel‘s (and PGA Tour star Tony Finau’s) big break in terms of reaching mainstream television audiences.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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