something that interrupts, such as a comment, question, or action an interval or intermission the act of interrupting or the state of being interrupted
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•ter•rupt /v. ˌɪntəˈrʌpt; n. ˈɪntəˌrʌpt/USA pronunciation
v.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to cause or make a break in the continuing progress of (a course, process, condition, etc.):[~ + object]The flow of the river is interrupted by a waterfall.
- to break off or cause to stop:[~ + object]He interrupted his work to answer the bell.
- to stop (a person) while speaking or working, esp. by a remark added in: [no object]Please don't interrupt.[~ + object]He kept interrupting the boss whenever she spoke.[used with quotations]"Wait a minute,'' she interrupted, "I don't agree.''
n. [countable]
- Computinga hardware or software signal that temporarily stops the working of a program in a computer so that another procedure can be carried out.
in•ter•rup•tion
(in′tə rup′shən),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- an act or instance of interrupting.
- the state of being interrupted.
- something that interrupts.
- cessation;
intermission.
- Latin interruptiōn- (stem of interruptiō). See interrupt, -ion
- Middle English interrupcio(u)n 1350–1400
in•ter•rupt
(v. in′tə rupt′;n. in′tə rupt′),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
in′ter•rupt′ed•ly, adv.
in′ter•rupt′ed•ness, n.
in′ter•rupt′i•ble, adj.
in′ter•rup′tive, adj.
- to cause or make a break in the continuity or uniformity of (a course, process, condition, etc.).
- to break off or cause to cease, as in the middle of something:He interrupted hiswork to answer the bell.
- to stop (a person) in the midst of doing or saying something, esp. by an interjected remark:May I interrupt you to comment on your last remark?
v.i.
- to cause a break or discontinuance;
interfere with action or speech, esp. by interjecting a remark:Please don't interrupt.
n.
- Computinga hardware signal that breaks the flow of program execution and transfers control to a predetermined storage location so that another procedure can be followed or a new operation carried out.
- Latin interruptus past participle of interrumpere to break apart, equivalent. to inter- inter- + rup-, variant stem of rumpere to burst + -tus past participle suffix; see rupture
- late Middle English interrupten 1375–1425
in′ter•rupt′ed•ness, n.
in′ter•rupt′i•ble, adj.
in′ter•rup′tive, adj.
- 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged intermit. Interrupt, discontinue, suspend imply breaking off something temporarily or permanently. Interrupt may have either meaning:to interrupt a meeting.To discontinue is to stop or leave off, often permanently:to discontinue a building program.To suspend is to break off relations, operations, proceedings, privileges, etc., for a certain period of time, usually with the stipulation that they will be resumed at a stated time:to suspend operations during a strike.
- 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged continue.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'without interruption' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
closed circuit
- consecutive
- continual
- continuation
- continued
- continuous
- course
- incessant
- perpetuate
- persist
- ride
- run
- run on
- running
- segue
- shot
- solid
- successive
- sweep
- take
- teach-in