Many English learners struggle to differentiate between "interrupt" and "disrupt." Although both words imply a break in the normal flow, they describe different kinds of interruptions.

"Interrupt" means to briefly stop someone or something from continuing. Think of it as a temporary pause. For example, "The loud noise interrupted my phone call." (The loud noise made me stop talking on the phone for a moment.) Or, "My little sister interrupted my homework." (My little sister made me stop doing my homework for a while.)

"Disrupt," on the other hand, implies causing significant disorder or preventing something from continuing as expected. It's more severe and longer-lasting than an interruption. Consider the following examples: "The protesters disrupted the traffic." (The protestors caused significant disorder and stopped the traffic from flowing normally.) "The storm disrupted the power supply." (The storm caused problems and prevented the power supply from working as usual.)

"Interrupt" is generally used for less serious and shorter breaks, while "disrupt" is used for more serious and prolonged interruptions. Happy learning!