interject

To interject means to insert a comment, question, or short remark into a conversation, discussion, or sometimes another ongoing situation. It usually suggests a brief interruption. The speaker cuts in for a moment, says something, and then the main flow continues. The word often describes something sudden, but not always something rude or negative.

You might interject during a meeting to offer a suggestion: "May I interject for a moment?" You might also interject in a conversation to correct a detail, ask a quick question, or add a brief reaction. In writing, it can describe a character suddenly speaking in the middle of someone else's words or actions.

However, interject is not always positive. If someone keeps cutting in with unwanted or unrelated comments, it can sound disruptive. The key idea is brevity. An interjection is usually quick. That is one reason it is slightly different from interrupt, which can describe any break in speech, including a longer or stronger one.

So when someone briefly adds a thought in the middle of a discussion, they interject. The word is most often used for short spoken comments that enter an ongoing exchange without fully taking it over.