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uninterrupted
/ˌʌnɪnˈtɜːrʌptɪd/
without pauses or breaks
The movie played for three hours uninterrupted.
The movie played continuously for three hours without any pauses.
formal
Continuing without stopping or being interrupted
She worked on her project for six uninterrupted hours.
She worked continuously on her project for six hours without any breaks.
The uninterrupted flow of traffic made the journey smoother.
The continuous movement of traffic made the trip easier.
Often used to describe activities, processes, or states that persist without disruption.
Collocations
uninterrupted sleepsleep without waking upuninterrupted serviceservice provided without interruptionuninterrupted viewclear, unobstructed view
Pro Tip
Avoid redundancy
Do not pair 'uninterrupted' with words like 'without any breaks' or 'without stopping'—it already implies the absence of interruptions.
Gold Rule
Use for time and processes
Reserve 'uninterrupted' for describing time spans (e.g., 'uninterrupted sleep') or ongoing processes (e.g., 'uninterrupted service'). Do not use it for physical objects unless the context is metaphorical.
Word Origin
From Latin 'interruptus' (past participle of 'interrumpere', meaning 'to break apart'), combined with the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') and the suffix '-ed' (forming adjectives). First recorded in English in the late 16th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in formal and technical contexts to emphasize the absence of disruptions. Avoid using it to describe physical objects unless the context clearly implies continuity (e.g., 'an uninterrupted line of sight').
Word Breakdown
un-
not
prefixinterrupted
broken apart
root-ed
adjective-forming suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary