Interrupted describes something that was halted or stopped temporarily, often breaking a flow or sequence. It implies an intervening pause or disruption, and can apply to conversations, processes, or actions. In usage, it signals an abrupt interruption rather than a complete pause. The term is commonly used in formal, descriptive, or analytical contexts.
US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced clearly; ensure['r'] is pronounced between /tə/ and /ʌ/. UK: less rhotic, softer /r/; maintain non-rhoticity but ensure the /r/ before /ʌ/ is audible in careful speech. AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels and more clipped tempo; maintain the /t/ boundary. IPA references: US /ˈɪn.təˌrʌp.tɪd/, UK /ˈɪn.təˌrʌp.tɪd/, AU /ˈɪn.təˌrʌp.tɪd/.
"The meeting was interrupted by an unexpected fire drill."
"Her sentence was interrupted mid-syllable by a buzzing notification."
"The broadcast was interrupted to cover breaking news."
"A loud cough interrupted the lecturer, then he resumed his point."
Interrupted comes from the Latin interruptus, the past participle of interrumpere, derived from inter- ‘between’ + rumpere ‘to break’. The term entered English via Old French interrumpter, then Middle English. The sense evolved from “to break into a sequence or conversation” to “to stop the progress of something temporarily.” In the 16th–18th centuries, it appeared in legal and rhetorical contexts to describe pauses or interjections within discourse. Over time, “interrupt” became common in technology and media to denote breaks in transmission, speeches, or processes, with the adjective form interrupted used to describe events, actions, or states that have been halted by an intervening factor. The word’s core image remains a break or disturbance introduced from outside the ongoing flow. First known use in English traces to the late Middle Ages, with continued prevalence in modern scientific, literary, and everyday language as a precise descriptor of disruption.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Interrupted" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Interrupted" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Interrupted"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈɪn.tə.rʌp.tɪd/. Stress on the first syllable: IN-tuh-RUP-ted. The middle syllable has a schwa /ə/, and the final -ed is pronounced /d/ or /ɪd/ depending on pace; here it’s typically /tɪd/ in careful speech. Tip: keep the /t/ light but audible between /rə/ and /tɪd/. Audio reference: consult dictionaries or pronunciation videos for /ˈɪn.tə.rʌp.tɪd/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress, saying in-TER-rupted (wrong stress), and merging the /t/ with the following /t/ to produce /ɪnˈtɜrˌʌptɪd/ or turning the final -ed into a /ɪd/ or /ɪt/ that sounds off. Another slip is reducing the second syllable vowel from /ə/ to a full /ʌ/ or /ɪ/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, use a neutral /ə/ in the middle, and articulate the final /tɪd/ clearly.
US: /ˈɪn.təˌrʌp.tɪd/ with emphasis on first and a light secondary on /r/. UK: /ˌɪn.təˈrʌp.tɪd/, less rhotic influence, smoother /r/ followed by /ə/. AU: /ˈɪn.təˈrʌp.tɪd/ similar to US but with more non-rhotic tendencies; vowel quality in /ɪ/ and /ə/ may be shorter and flatter. In all variants, the final -ed often pronounced as /tɪd/ in careful speech; in rapid speech it can become /təd/ or /tɪd/ with slight vowel reduction.
It combines a multi-syllabic rhythm with a cluster transition: the /n/ before /t/ and the /t/ following /r/ require precise timing to keep the syllables distinct. The /ə/ reduction in the second syllable challenges learners to maintain a recognizable unstressed vowel while keeping the /r/ and /p/ clear. Additionally, the final /tɪd/ needs crisp articulation to avoid blending into a trailing /d/ or /t/. Practice: isolate the three consonant clusters and rehearse with slow tempo.
Yes, the sequence -rʌpt- across syllables can be mispronounced as -rupt- or -rupted in isolation. The correct flow is IN-tə-RUP-ted, with a palatal-ish /r/ before /ʌ/ and a clear /t/ onset in the final syllable. The second syllable is a weak schwa, not a full vowel, and the final -ed carries the /d/ or /t/ depending on the pace; this word maintains a relatively tight cadence compared with longer words.
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