interrupting

present participle of interrupt
as in intruding
to cause a disruption in a conversation or discussion it's rude to interrupt when someone is making an important point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 interrupting Can vendors be changed without interrupting critical operations? — Chandini Sheeba, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Yet the final episode opens with another interview segment; those segments keep interrupting the action, which is a bit frustrating but forgivable. — ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 In January 2024, a landslide above the railroad sent soil and debris crashing onto the tracks at Mariposa Point, destroying the city’s pedestrian bridge and beach trail and temporarily interrupting rail service. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 That same work found interrupting therapy worsened symptoms, which is the clinical reason abrupt stops are what prescribers try hardest to prevent. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 Contentious debate The debate itself featured tense moments, with audience members interrupting both candidates and Harris engaging in a heated exchange with a woman in the crowd. — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 The first attempts at a foldable smartphone in the 2010s from other companies tended to be fragile and not all that useful, with a big, ugly crease in the center interrupting the experience. — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Levee dances around the stage interrupting others conversations and making everything about himself. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 Oct. 2026 This talks about the brands not interrupting storytelling, but being a part of it. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interrupting
Verb
  • With only two minutes for the family to talk, Seyfried suddenly seems mortified to be intruding.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These luminous interludes also ease us into the memories of Jay’s father that keep intruding on his predicament.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Police on Tuesday arrested a suspect in the arson attack that charred the historic city hall in Limoges, in central France, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said, adding that the person may not have acted alone.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The exponential growth of the global AI industry is adding fresh urgency to such challenges.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As with the Pattern One, the grip ended in a round top nut, which secured the rat-tail tang to the grip, though the fitting was now done by cutting off the tang to length and cutting in the screw to take the nut.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a constant threat cutting in from the left, and if Dembélé features, he will be given the freedom to drift and find pockets of space centrally.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interrupting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interrupting. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster