interruption
B2Formal to neutral. Common in professional, academic, technical, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A temporary or permanent break in the continuity or progress of an action, process, speech, or thought.
In technology, a signal that causes a processor to pause current activity and handle a different task; in psychology, a disruptive break in attention or workflow.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies an action from an external source or circumstance that stops something temporarily. Differs from 'pause' (often intentional) or 'cessation' (often permanent).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Slightly higher frequency in US business/tech contexts ('service interruption'). UK usage may slightly favor 'disruption' in everyday contexts.
Connotations
Neutral to negative (disruption). In IT, it is a technical, neutral term.
Frequency
Common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
interruption of [process/event]interruption to [service/speech]interruption in [flow/supply]interruption by [person/event]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “without interruption”
- “to suffer constant interruption”
- “a welcome interruption”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
We apologise for the interruption to our online payment service.
Academic
The study examined the effect of digital interruptions on cognitive focus.
Everyday
Sorry for the interruption, but your taxi has arrived.
Technical
The hardware handles priority interrupts to manage process interruption efficiently.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The phone call caused a rude interruption to the meeting.
- There was a brief interruption in the television signal during the storm.
American English
- The power interruption lasted for three hours.
- Please continue your story without interruption.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Sorry for the interruption. Can I ask a question?
- There was an interruption in the film.
- The teacher continued the lesson after a short interruption.
- Frequent interruptions make it hard to concentrate.
- The interruption of supply chains affected global trade.
- He spoke for an hour without interruption.
- The legal proceedings continued without interruption despite the procedural objections.
- Cognitive studies measure the cost of task interruption on performance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
INTER (between) + RUPT (break, as in 'rupture') + TION (noun suffix) → a breaking between events.
Conceptual Metaphor
FLOW IS CONTINUITY / BARRIERS ARE INTERRUPTIONS (e.g., 'a steady flow of work' vs. 'a roadblock interrupting progress').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'прерывание' for minor, polite breaks; it can sound overly technical or harsh. For a short break in conversation, 'перерыв' or pause might be more natural.
- Do not confuse with 'интервенция' (intervention).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'interruption' for a planned stop (use 'break' or 'interval').
- Incorrect preposition: 'interruption on the service' instead of 'interruption to/in the service'.
- Misspelling as 'interuption'.
- Pronouncing it as /ɪnˈter.ʌp.ʃən/ (stress is on the third syllable).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'interruption' most correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, as it implies an unwanted break. However, it can be neutral (technical interrupts) or positive if the break is welcome ('a welcome interruption to the monotony').
An 'interruption' is a break in continuity. A 'disruption' is an interruption that causes disorder or chaos. All disruptions are interruptions, but not all interruptions are disruptive.
No, the verb form is 'interrupt'. 'Interruption' is only a noun.
Use 'interruption of' + the thing being stopped ('interruption of service'). Use 'interruption to' + an activity or process ('interruption to your speech'). Use 'interruption in' + a general state or supply ('interruption in power').