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intermit

/ˈɪntərˌmɪt/
IPA guide

Other forms: intermitted; intermitting; intermits

To intermit is to stop doing something for a while. You might intermit your Spanish classes this summer so you can take a full-time job as a lifeguard.

Intermit is a formal or old-fashioned way to say "pause," or sometimes "pause periodically." It's much more common to use the adjective intermittent for things that start and stop, and both words come from the Latin inter, "between," and mittere, "to send." If you regularly intermit your dog training sessions, it's going to take a lot longer to teach Spot to heel!

Definitions of intermit
  1. verb
    cease an action temporarily
    synonyms: break, pause
    see moresee less
    types:
    breathe, catch one's breath, rest, take a breather
    take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
    take five
    take a break for five minutes
    take ten
    take a ten minute break
    type of:
    break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt
    make a break in
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘intermit'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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