avbryt

Avbryt is a Swedish verb meaning to cancel, abort, or interrupt an ongoing action. It is used to stop a process, halt a plan, or terminate a current operation. The infinitive is avbryta, and the imperative form used in commands or on user interface elements is Avbryt.

Etymology and form: The word combines the prefix av- with the verb bryta, meaning to break. Together they convey breaking off or stopping something in progress. A closely related noun is avbrott, which denotes an interruption or disruption.

Usage: In everyday language, Avbryt can be used to cancel arrangements, plans, or tasks, for example “Vi måste avbryta mötet” (We need to interrupt the meeting). In technology and software, Avbryt is commonly found as a button label to stop a running operation, such as a download, installation, or data transfer. It is typically contrasted with continue actions like Fortsätt or with avsluta, which can imply exiting or closing a program rather than merely stopping a current step.

Context and nuance: Avbryt is a practical, action-oriented term suitable for both spoken language and written interfaces. While Avsluta is used to indicate closing an application or exiting a program, Avbryt signals to halt the present activity and often suggests the option to resume later from a similar state.

See also: Avbryta, avbrott, avsluta, fortsätt.