interject

/ˌɪntərˈdʒɛkt/

Say it: in-ter-JEKT

1. verb To say something abruptly, especially as an interruption or aside.
Before he could finish his point, she interjected with a question of her own.
2. verb To insert something between or among other things.
The author would often interject short, philosophical poems between the chapters of his novel.

📖 Seen in the wild

The speaker paused, allowing a member of the audience to interject a question.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ interject in a sentence

"But that's not what the data shows," he interjected during the heated debate.
The tour guide interjected historical facts as we walked through the ancient city.
May I interject for a moment? I think we're overlooking a key variable.
She tried to tell the story, but her brother kept interjecting with his own version of the events.
The film interjects scenes of peaceful nature into the otherwise chaotic urban narrative.
He had a habit of interjecting witty remarks that made everyone laugh.
The lawyer quickly interjected an objection before the witness could answer.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

interrupt interpose cut in chime in butt in insert add remark

interrupt · implies stopping the speaker, often with a negative or rude connotation.

interpose · more formal; often suggests placing oneself or an idea between two opposing parties.

cut in · more informal and abrupt, almost always considered impolite.

chime in · suggests joining a conversation, often in agreement or with a relevant point.

Opposites: withdraw, retract, continue, proceed

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'interject' comes directly from the Latin 'intericere', meaning 'to throw between'. It's a combination of 'inter', meaning 'between', and 'jacere', meaning 'to throw'. This literal sense of throwing a comment into the middle of a conversation is still at the heart of its meaning today.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

interject a commentinterject a questioninterject with a remarksuddenly interjectfeel the need to interject

While 'interject' and 'interrupt' are similar, they carry different weights. 'Interrupt' focuses on the act of stopping someone from speaking and is usually negative. 'Interject' focuses on the content being added, like a quick question or comment, and is more neutral. You might interject to clarify a point, whereas you interrupt to take over the conversation. Using 'interject' can sound slightly more formal and deliberate than simply 'cutting in'.

Word family: interjection, interjectory

💬 Quick answers

What does 'interject' mean?

To interject means to say something suddenly, usually by breaking into an existing conversation. It can also mean to insert one thing between others.

What is the difference between 'interject' and 'interrupt'?

'Interrupt' focuses on stopping the speaker's flow, which is often seen as rude. 'Interject' focuses on adding a comment or question into the conversation, which can be disruptive but is not always negative.

Is it rude to interject?

It can be, depending on the context and tone. While less negative than 'interrupt', interjecting can still be seen as impolite if it derails the conversation or disrespects the speaker.

What is an 'interjection'?

An interjection is the thing that is interjected, such as a remark. In grammar, it's a word or phrase that expresses sudden emotion, like 'Oh!' or 'Wow!'.

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