7 Phrases to Politely Interrupt Someone, According to a Therapist
If you’ve ever worked in the corporate world, chances are you’ve had to sit through a meeting that 100 percent could have been an email. In these situations, it’s frustrating and anxiety-inducing to feel like you need to contribute, especially if you have to make a concerted effort to speak up. You might wonder how to politely interrupt someone.
Anything from calling your bank to a simple conversation with friends could worsen anxiety, making socializing and connecting with others difficult—much less interrupting during a meeting. If you have social anxiety or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), initiating a comment or stopping yourself from interrupting becomes even more difficult. However, you don’t have to have a diagnosed mental health condition to struggle in social settings like this.
As a therapist, I often find that my clients and I struggle to interrupt at the right time. Whether it’s when a client is telling a story or when I’m helping them arrive at a conclusion about that story, it’s difficult to know when to speak up. And because sessions are limited to an hour, there’s a lot of information to cover in a short amount of time. It can get awkward if anyone interrupts too much, but it’s no one’s fault—as long as everyone respects and understands the intention behind interrupting.
You can avoid an awkward encounter in any conversation by using these seven phrases to interrupt gracefully and politely.
Related: 10 Phrases To Effectively Start a Conversation, According to Psychologists
Self-Monitoring in Conversations
On top of the natural struggle, people’s interpretation of how we interrupt them also factors into our mental state. A study from psychology researchers at Cornell University coined the term “liking gap” to describe the difference between how socially anxious people perceive whether or not someone liked them after a conversation. Because of this gap, people were actually more liked than they perceived themselves to be. So, what does this mean for communication?
It means you must self-monitor while communicating or consistently regulate your emotional and behavioral responses. Be mindful of what you say and how you say it to the best of your ability when you have to interrupt someone. When our interruptions are interpreted as rude, it’s embarrassing. However, as the study results say, sometimes that perception isn’t as bad as we think it is.
Related: 10 Best Phrases To Begin an Email, Plus the #1 Way You *Don’t* Want To Start Your Message
7 Phrases to Politely Interrupt Someone
Knowing what to say is always beneficial when communicating with someone and helps make the interaction less awkward. Keep these phrases in the back of your mind for the next time you need to interrupt mid-conversation.
1. “Could I offer a different perspective?”
When you discuss a topic with another person or in a group, not everyone will agree with what’s said. Politely asking to offer a different perspective signals that you’d like to contribute without assuming that an additional opinion will be welcome.
2. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but…”
While an apology isn’t always appropriate, there’s nothing wrong with doing it before interrupting someone. You aren’t admitting fault but acknowledging that you know the interjection could be inconvenient or offensive. You’re respecting the other person’s speaking time while signaling that you must briefly interrupt them.
Related: 10 Phrases To Replace Saying 'Sorry' as a Reflex, According to a Therapist
3. “While we’re on that topic…”
It’s easy to zone out during a conversation if you’re not totally interested. If you need to interrupt, you can leave, showing that you at least understand what’s going on in the discussion. Addressing the topic also transitions from the speaker’s thoughts to yours to maintain the flow of the conversation.
4. “Excuse me?”
Excuse me is one of the most common ways to interrupt someone. However, it’s all about how you say it. Using a calm, respectful tone and waiting for the appropriate moment to interrupt is key to using this statement in a polite way. It also leaves little question about your intent.
You can also say this with another phrase like “Excuse me, do you mind if I butt in,” or “Excuse me for interrupting, but…” to clarify what you’re interrupting.
5. “I think it’s worth mentioning…”
Do you ever want to interrupt someone politely but frankly? This statement has a more direct connotation than other traditionally polite phrases, yet still serves as a socially acceptable way to both acknowledge the significance of the speaker’s viewpoint and get your point across. If you’re in an academic or professional setting, this phrase is also helpful because it helps you have a voice in the discussion without seeming arrogant or intrusive.
6. “Do you mind if I quickly share an idea?”
Brevity is important when you’re interrupting. By first asking for permission and then emphasizing that your comment won’t take long, you demonstrate that you care about not disrupting the conversation for an extended period. It also creates a more cooperative dialogue because you’re attempting to include a more diverse range of speakers. In most cases, when one person speaks up, others follow.
7. “Just to clarify…”
Interrupting doesn’t always involve adding something new to the dialogue. You can clarify what someone said if you don’t understand or didn’t hear it correctly, which is polite because it prevents misunderstandings and miscommunications. Other ways to say this are:
“Sorry, but could you repeat that?”
“Would you mind saying that again?”
“Can you say that a different way?”
What Is a Nonverbal Form of Polite Interruption?
Talking isn’t always the best way to politely interrupt during a conversation. For example, you might have been taught that standing or sitting quietly until someone is finished talking is courteous. This is appropriate for when you’re a child, but people might think you’re hovering as you get older.
Subtlety is your best friend when it comes to finding the best nonverbal form of polite interruption. Raising your hand, nodding, and maintaining eye contact (sometimes with a tilt of your head) are ways to let the person speaking know you have something to say. Since over 50% of communication is nonverbal, these slight, seemingly insignificant movements have more of an impact on how you convey a message than you think.
When you want to interrupt someone politely, it’s important to be intentional about your verbal and nonverbal communication. The goal isn’t to shut down the conversation but to get your point across while still respecting the person speaking. At the end of the day, there’s always room for one more voice.
Next: 11 Best Phrases to End a Phone Call, According to Psychotherapists—Plus, What *Not* To Do
