interlude

American  

[in-ter-lood] / ˈɪn tərˌlud /

noun

interludes plural

1. an intervening episode, period, space, etc.

   Synonyms:

   pause, intermission, respite, interval

2. a short dramatic piece, especially of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.

3. one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces.

4. any intermediate performance or entertainment, as between the acts of a play.

5. an instrumental passage or a piece of music rendered between the parts of a song, church service, drama, etc.

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interlude British  

/ ˈɪntəˌluːd /

noun

1. a period of time or different activity between longer periods, processes, or events; episode or interval

2. theatre a short dramatic piece played separately or as part of a longer entertainment, common in 16th-century England

3. a brief piece of music, dance, etc, given between the sections of another performance

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interludial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• interludes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of interlude

1275–1325; Middle English < Medieval Latin interlūdium, equivalent to Latin inter- inter- + lūd ( us ) play + -ium -ium

Explanation

An interlude is a brief period of time that comes in the middle of something. You might enjoy a relaxing lemonade interlude in the middle of a tough day at your road-paving job. Any block of time that comes as a break or a respite from an activity can be called an interlude, so you could talk about a quiet interlude after a noisy birthday party, or an interlude of peace after years of war. Interlude is often used to describe the pauses between acts of a play or during an intermission. In fact, the original meaning came from the Latin interludium, which means "between a play".

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interlude interludes

Wall Street sees the war as ongoing, viewing the interim peace agreement as a short-lived interlude.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

She said many fans had already left in the 20-minute interlude between the end of the game and the fireworks show, leaving the stands relatively empty and reducing the likelihood of injuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026

Another important interlude is the segue of “American Skin” into “Long Walk Home.”

From Salon ● May 28, 2026

This drama is far from over, even if a private coffee and a very public, grand occasion means there is a brief interlude today.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

When he opened his eyes, he resumed their conversation as though there had been no interlude.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Anchored on a near-orchestral soundstage, its 20 tracks ricochet from in-your-face punk dissonance to majestic broken-heart dirges, a lovely duet with St. Vincent, rootsy folk interludes and farfisa-rich lounge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Even active seasons can have notably quiet interludes, while below-average years can still produce devastating hurricanes.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

If your mouth opens wide during any of the supposedly terrifying interludes, it’s more likely to form a yawn than a cry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

In a post to Truth Social, the president called the performance that included interludes by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin “absolutely terrible.”

From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026

“It was one of the nicest interludes we have ever, ever had.”

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

• breathing space
• idyll
• lull
• respite