intervention

UK: /ˌɪntə^rˈvɛnʃ^ən/ US: /ˌɪntɚˈvɛnʃən/ ,(in′tər ven′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•ter•ven•tion  (in′tər ven′shən), n. 

1. the act or fact of intervening.
2. Government interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of another.

• Late Latin interventiōn- (stem of interventiō) a coming between. See intervene, -tion
• late Middle English 1375–1425

in′ter•ven′tion•al, in′ter•ven′tion•ar′y, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

intervention / ˌɪntəˈvɛnʃən/ noun

1. the act of intervening
2. any interference in the affairs of others, esp by one state in the affairs of another
3. an occasion on which someone with an addiction or other problem is confronted by family and friends in an attempt to persuade him or her to tackle the issue
4. the action of a central bank in supporting the international value of a currency by buying large quantities of the currency to keep the price up
5. the action of the EU in buying up surplus produce when the market price drops to a certain value

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•ter•vene /ˌɪntɚˈvin/   v. [no object] , -vened, -ven•ing. 

1. to come between people, groups, etc. who are disagreeing, in order to help make an agreement possible; intercede:
   His daughters would keep fighting until he intervened.
2. Government to occur or be between two things:
   A few years intervened before they met again.
3. to occur between other events or periods:
   Nothing important has intervened since then.
4. to interfere with force or a threat of force:
   to intervene in the affairs of another country.

in•ter•ven•tion /ˌɪntɚˈvɛnʃən/  n. [uncountable] See -ven-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•ter•vene  (in′tər vēn′), v.i., -vened, -ven•ing. 

1. to come between disputing people, groups, etc.;
   intercede;
   mediate.
2. Government to occur or be between two things.
3. to occur or happen between other events or periods:
   Nothing important intervened between the meetings.
4. (of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder:
   We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.
5. to interfere with force or a threat of force:
   to intervene in the affairs of another country.
6. Law to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.

• Latin intervenīre to come between, equivalent. to inter- inter- + venīre to come; see convene
• 1580–90

Synonyms

• 1. arbitrate, interpose.