interfere
Americanverb (used without object)
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interferes,
present (3rd person singular)
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interfered,
past participle, past
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interfering
present participle
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to come into opposition, as one thing with another, especially with the effect of hampering action or procedure (often followed bywith ).
Constant distractions interfere with work.
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to take part in the affairs of others; meddle (often followed by with orin ).
to interfere in another's life.
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(of things) to strike against each other, or one against another, so as to hamper or hinder action; come into physical collision.
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to interpose or intervene for a particular purpose.
- Synonyms:
- intercede
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to strike one foot or leg against another in moving, as a horse.
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Sports.
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to obstruct the action of an opposing player in a way barred by the rules.
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Football. to run interference for a teammate carrying the ball.
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Physics. to cause interference.
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to clash; come in collision; be in opposition.
The claims of two nations may interfere.
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Law. to claim earlier invention when several patent requests for the same invention are being filed.
verb phrase
verb
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(often foll by in) to interpose, esp meddlesomely or unwarrantedly; intervene
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(often foll by with) to come between or in opposition; hinder; obstruct
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euphemistic (foll by with) to assault sexually
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to strike one against the other, as a horse's legs
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physics to cause or produce interference
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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interferernoun
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interferingadjective
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noninterferingadjective
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interferinglyadverb
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noninterferinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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interferesimple
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interferessimple
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have interferedperfect
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has interferedperfect
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am interferingprogressive
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are interferingprogressive
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is interferingprogressive
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have been interferingperfect progressive
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has been interferingperfect progressive
Past
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interferedsimple
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had interferedperfect
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was interferingprogressive
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were interferingprogressive
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had been interferingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of interfere
First recorded in 1520–30; inter- + -fere (from Latin ferīre “to strike”); modeled on Middle French s'entreferir
Explanation
To interfere is to try to stop something from happening. If you get into a fight on the street, people passing by might try to interfere so no one gets hurt. Many countries resent it when other countries interfere (get involved) in their internal affairs, just as people often dislike it when others interfere in their personal affairs. In this sense interfere is the opposite of minding one's business. On airplanes you're not allowed to use cellphones because, it's said, they interfere with the plane’s navigational systems.
Vocabulary lists containing interfere
Power Prefix: inter-
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"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Such damage can interfere with proteins and other essential components of cells, particularly when the body's normal protective systems become less effective.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
She said the government doesn't want to interfere with "current ongoing commercial negotiations", but said ministers would be seeking "clarity" on the plans for the retailer.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
It’s routine for DOJ monitors to watch over polling places, and the agency has assured states that, in the midterms, its observers will follow the law and not interfere with voting or election administration.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
That connectivity can also provide an avenue for attackers to interfere with physical systems through digital networks.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
“I can get a sandwich downtown. I dont want to interfere with Dilsey’s arrangements,” I says.
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
Using experiments involving mice and human cells, the researchers discovered a previously unrecognized process that interferes with the liver's ability to clear cholesterol.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
Soto-Martínez’s office said enforcement under the city ordinance interferes with efforts to move unhoused residents into housing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
That tort takes place when a person intentionally interferes with another person’s lawful possession of movable personal property.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Airports close because ash interferes with aircraft and other transport networks falter.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Many of the most distinguished research men in this field look with suspicion on any agent that damages the chromosomes, interferes with cell division, or causes mutations.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
One Nation's Victorian leader Warren Pickering claimed the attack happened after the pair "interfered with" election signs on the volunteer's property.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
As a result, the two paths interfered destructively, meaning their quantum contributions canceled each other out.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
The men behind Gatalog and its sister site, CtrlPew, went to federal court in Orlando, Fla., to try to block that assertion, saying California’s suit interfered with their constitutional rights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
A fan clad in a midnight-blue Yankees jacket had reached over the wall and interfered with the play.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It interfered with his concentration: Normally, an ongoing game resonated within him even if he left the table.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
I didn’t want anything interfering with what I wanted to do or where I needed to be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Although the Carrington Event remains the most famous example from this period, evidence of solar activity interfering with electrical systems stretches back even further.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
“We’re interfering with the cell’s recycling machinery that’s important in all of our healthy cells,” said Dr. Julie Gralow, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Courtney-Grace believes allowing medical professionals access to familial history without interfering with data protection rules wouldn't just benefit adoptees, but the entire population.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Grudgingly I sold him one, ruefully concluding that, as always, work was interfering at a crucial moment.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
