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Meaning & use

intermission

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌɪntəˈmɪʃən/
US/ˌɪntərˈmɪʃən/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A short break between the parts of a performance, show, or sports game.

    Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the, and the plural intermissions. Common in the phrase during the intermission.

    Patterns

    • during the intermission
    • at intermission
    • a short intermission

    We bought ice cream during the intermission.

    The play has a ten-minute intermission after the first act.

    At intermission, the audience stood up and stretched.

  2. nouncountable or uncountableformal

    A period of time when an activity stops before starting again.

    Grammar: Can be countable (an intermission) or uncountable (without intermission). Often used with without.

    Patterns

    • without intermission
    • an intermission in something
    • after a brief intermission

    The rain fell without intermission for three hours.

    There was a short intermission in the negotiations.

    Work continued without intermission until the project was finished.

Word forms

pluralintermissions

Common combinations

during the intermission
We talked about the movie during the intermission.
at intermission
She found her seat again at intermission.
a brief intermission
There was a brief intermission before the second half.
without intermission
The machine ran without intermission all night.
after the intermission
The band played their biggest hit after the intermission.

Synonyms and how they differ

break
A general word for any pause; intermission is more specific to performances and formal events.
interval
British English uses interval for the break in a play or concert; intermission is the usual American word.
pause
A pause is usually shorter and less planned than an intermission.

Word family

intermit verb
To stop for a time and then start again; rare and formal.
intermittent adjective
Stopping and starting again at intervals; not continuous.

Commonly confused: intermission or intermission?

intermission vs intermission

Not to be confused with 'intermission' and 'intermission'—both are the same word. Learners sometimes confuse it with 'mission', which means an important job or trip.

Practice

The audience went outside to stretch _____ the intermission.

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