WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•ter•sperse /ˌɪntɚˈspɜrs/USA pronunciation
v., -spersed, -spers•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to scatter or place at intervals among other things:[~ + object]to intersperse flowers among shrubs.
- to vary with something scattered or placed at intervals:[~ + object + with + object]to intersperse a speech with anecdotes.
in•ter•sperse
(in′tər spûrs′),USA pronunciation v.t., -spersed, -spers•ing.
in•ter•spers•ed•ly
(in′tər spûr′sid lē),USA pronunciation adv.
in•ter•sper•sion
(in′tər spûr′zhən or, esp. Brit., -shən),USA pronunciation in′ter•sper′sal, n.
- to scatter here and there or place at intervals among other things:to intersperse flowers among shrubs.
- to diversify with something placed or scattered at intervals:to intersperse a dull speech with interesting anecdotes.
- Latin interspersus (past participle of interspergere to strew here and there), equivalent. to inter- inter- + -spersus, combining form of sparsus, past participle of spargere to scatter; see disperse
- 1560–70;
- 1. strew, sprinkle.
'interspersion' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):