Meaning & use
interaction
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
Communication or reciprocal action between people or groups that affects each other.
Grammar: Countable for one exchange: an interaction with a neighbor. Uncountable for the general process: encourage interaction.
Patterns
- interaction between people
- interaction with someone
- social interaction
The job requires friendly interaction with customers.
There was little interaction between the two departments.
Online interaction replaced some face-to-face meetings.
nouncountable or uncountablespecialist
A mutual effect or influence between things, such as chemicals, forces, drugs, or systems.
Grammar: In science, use between for two things and among for several; drug interaction is a fixed medical phrase.
Patterns
- interaction between two substances
- drug interaction
- interaction with a system
The study measured the interaction between the two drugs.
Engineers modeled the interaction of wind and bridge cables.
A warning explained possible interactions with blood pressure medicine.
Word forms
| plural | interactions |
|---|
Common combinations
- social interaction
- The club encourages social interaction after class.
- interaction between A and B
- The report examines interaction between poverty and health.
- human-computer interaction
- The degree focuses on human-computer interaction.
- drug interaction
- The pharmacist checked for a dangerous drug interaction.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exchange
- Highlights giving and receiving, especially words, goods, or ideas.
- communication
- Only covers messages and understanding, not physical or chemical effects.
- interface
- As a countable noun, a point where systems meet; less natural for casual conversation.
- interplay
- Formal; stresses two factors producing a combined effect.
Opposites
Word family
- interact verb
- To act on or communicate with each other.
- interactive adjective
- Allowing two-way action or response.
- interactivity noun
- The quality of involving user participation.
Commonly confused: interaction or intersection? interaction or interruption?
interaction vs intersection
An intersection is where roads or sets cross; interaction is action or influence between parties.
interaction vs interruption
An interruption breaks into something; interaction can be cooperative rather than disruptive.
Practice
Choose the best completion: “Doctors checked for a dangerous interaction ___ the two medicines.”
Choose one answer.
Between is used for a relationship involving two named medicines. Among would fit three or more, while inside/toward do not state mutual effect naturally.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “interaction”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.