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interrupter

American  
[in-tuh-ruhp-ter] / ˌɪn təˈrʌp tər /
Or interruptor

noun

  1. a person or thing that interrupts.

  2. Electricity. a device for interrupting or periodically opening and closing a circuit, as in a doorbell.


interrupter British  
/ ˌɪntəˈrʌptə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that interrupts

  2. an electromechanical device for opening and closing an electric circuit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of interrupter

First recorded in 1505–15; interrupt + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“We just got the dams removed on the Klamath, and now you want to put another destructive life cycle interrupter in our ocean.”

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 9, 2026

And as we’re questioning our long-held beliefs about “sink or swim” individualism and intellectual elitism, this is also an interrupter.

From Salon Apr. 5, 2026

“If all the violence interrupter is doing is canvassing the neighborhood three times a week, that’s not going to be enough. There needs to be more of a person-specific strategy,” Mr. Muhammad told The Times.

From Washington Times Dec. 31, 2023

One of those killed was DaShawn McGrier, a Safe Streets violence interrupter, according to the Living Classrooms Foundation, a nonprofit that operates two Safe Streets sites.

From Seattle Times Jan. 20, 2022

Three important adjuncts of the induction coil are the primary condenser, the interrupter and the primary key.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by John Ambrose Fleming

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