Meaning & use
intervene
Last updated
Meanings
verbintransitive
To step into a situation in order to stop it, change it or help solve it.
Grammar: No object; often followed by in or between: the teacher intervened in the argument.
Patterns
- intervene in something
- intervene between someone and someone
- intervene to do something
A passer-by intervened when the two men began to fight.
The government intervened in the dispute.
Doctors had to intervene to save the patient.
verbintransitiveformal
To happen between two events or points in time, often delaying or interrupting them.
Grammar: Often used with events or time: a war intervened.
She planned to visit, but illness intervened.
Years intervened between their first and second meeting.
Fate intervened and the plan fell apart.
verbintransitiveformal
To interrupt someone who is speaking, in order to add a comment.
Grammar: Used mostly in formal discussions: she intervened to correct him.
Patterns
- intervene to say something
The chairman intervened to remind everyone of the time limit.
"That is not quite right," she intervened.
Word forms
| third person singular | intervenes |
|---|---|
| past tense | intervened |
| past participle | intervened |
| -ing form | intervening |
Common combinations
- intervene in
- The UN intervened in the conflict.
- intervene directly
- The coach intervened directly to stop the fight.
- intervene militarily
- Several nations decided to intervene militarily.
- intervene on behalf of
- A lawyer intervened on behalf of the workers.
- intervene in time
- Paramedics intervened in time to save him.
Synonyms and how they differ
- step in
- It is the informal, everyday phrasal version of intervene.
- interfere
- It suggests meddling where you are not wanted, so it is more negative than intervene.
- mediate
- It means helping both sides reach agreement, rather than simply acting.
- intercede
- It means speaking up for someone else, often to ask for mercy.
Opposites
Word family
- intervention noun
- an act of intervening
- interventionist noun
- a person who favors intervening
- intervening adjective
- coming between two things
- interventionism noun
- the policy of intervening in others' affairs
Commonly confused: intervene or interfere?
intervene vs interfere
Interfere often means getting in the way unwelcome, while intervene is neutral or even helpful.
Practice
The teacher had to ___ in the argument before it turned into a fight.
Choose one answer.
Intervene in is the natural pattern for stepping into a situation. Interfere with and interrupt at use different prepositions or meanings, and interview is unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “intervene”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.