intersperse

American  

[in-ter-spurs] / ˌɪn tərˈspɜrs /

verb (used with object)

interspersed, interspersing

1. to scatter here and there or place at intervals among other things.

   to intersperse flowers among shrubs.

   Synonyms:

   sprinkle, strew

2. to diversify with something placed or scattered at intervals.

   to intersperse a dull speech with interesting anecdotes.

---

intersperse British  

/ ˌɪntəˈspɜːs, ˌɪntəˈspɜːsɪdlɪ, ˌɪntəˈspɜːʃən /

verb

1. to scatter or distribute among, between, or on

2. to diversify (something) with other things scattered here and there

---

Other Word Forms

• interspersal noun
• interspersedly adverb
• interspersion noun
• uninterspersed adjective

Etymology

Origin of intersperse

1560–70; < Latin interspersus (past participle of interspergere to strew here and there), equivalent to inter- inter- + -spersus, combining form of sparsus, past participle of spargere to scatter; disperse

Example Sentences

Vargas Llosa intersperses the story with nimbly delivered informational chapters explaining the history and influences of the Peruvian vals, or waltz, which synthesizes European and indigenous musical styles.

From The Wall Street Journal

They either saw the recording with no interruptions, or interspersed with one of 10 different glitch types, including freezes, lags, blank screens, pixelations and echoes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Code … in the building …” a voice came through the walkie-talkie interspersed with static.

From Literature

"Sometimes he would delete them and sometimes he wouldn't, and then, interspersed with that would be videos of him playing at the Albert Hall."

From BBC

But he offers the trenchant point that it intersperses high-intensity plays with huddled breaks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• infuse
• pepper
• sprinkle