interrupted

1 of 2

adjective

in·​ter·​rupt·​ed ˌin-tə-ˈrəp-təd How to pronounce interrupted (audio)
1
: broken in upon : discontinuous
an interrupted stripe
interrupted service
an interrupted phone call
interrupted sleep
2
botany : not uniform : broken in arrangement or symmetry
… flowers whorled in interrupted clusters.Charles E. Turner
3
phonetics : consisting of or containing a stop in articulation
\k\ is an interrupted consonant
interruptedly adverb
… Jeanne's mother had been … schoolmate and good girlfriend to Maria Gostrey, who had moreover enjoyed since then, though interruptedly … , other glimpses of her. Henry James
interruptedness noun
"I am much obliged to you for giving me full notice," he said, with a firm intention in his tone, yet with an interruptedness in his delivery which showed that he spoke unwillingly. George Eliot

interrupted

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of interrupt entry 1

Examples of interrupted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Dermatologists say that interrupted sleep can cause skin changes in multiple different ways, from next-day puffiness to faster development of lines and wrinkles over time. Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 14 Feb. 2025 Dement helped to identify REM sleep patterns and their value, as well as sleep apnea, or periods of interrupted breathing that can disrupt sleep. Dylan Scott, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 And Kelly wonders how interrupted access might affect someone during their vulnerable teenage years. Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2024 Six lines experiencing interrupted service, according to a post on X by STIB, the Belgium public transportation service. Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for interrupted

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of interrupted was circa 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interrupted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrupted. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on interrupted

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!