interrupt

/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/

//ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"interrupt" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“interrupt” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,796 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#12,796
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

interrupt vs interrupted
82% similar
interrupt vs intercept
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for interrupt
PropertyValue
Headwordinterrupt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#12,796
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “interrupt” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). interrupt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for interrupt is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,796 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for interrupt, with forms such as "inetrrupt", "innterrupt", and "interrput". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "interrupted", "intercept", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English interrupten, derived from Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere (“to break apart/off, interrupt”), from inter (“between”) + rumpere (“to break”). The correct English form is interrupt, spelled I-N-T-E-R-R-U-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking.
  2. 2
    To divide; to separate; to break the monotony of.
  3. 3
    To assert to (a computer) that an exceptional condition must be handled.

Etymology

From Middle English interrupten, derived from Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere (“to break apart/off, interrupt”), from inter (“between”) + rumpere (“to break”).

Synonyms

interject

Antonyms

continueresume

This word in other languages

interrumpir(Español)interrompre(Français)unterbrechen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetrrupt,innterrupt,interrput,interruppt,interruptt,interrutp,interupt,interurpt,intrerupt,intterrupt,itnerrupt,niterrupt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of interrupt - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

inetrrupt2innterrupt1interrput2interruppt1interruptt1interrutp2interupt1interurpt2
Edit distance from "interrupt"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "interrupt"?
"interrupt" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-R-U-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/.
What does "interrupt" mean?
As a verb, "interrupt" means: To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking.
What words are commonly confused with "interrupt"?
"interrupt" is commonly confused with "interrupted", "intercept". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "interrupt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "interrupt" is /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "interrupt"?
From Middle English interrupten, derived from Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere (“to break apart/off, interrupt”), from inter (“between”) + rumpere (“to break”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “interrupt”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-E-R-R-U-P-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “interrupted” - see the side-by-side comparison. interrupt vs interrupted
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list