intervene
Americanverb (used without object)
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intervenes,
present (3rd person singular)
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intervened,
past participle, past
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intervening
present participle
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to come between disputing people, groups, etc.; intercede; mediate.
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to occur or be between two things.
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to occur or happen between other events or periods.
Nothing important intervened between the meetings.
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(of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder.
We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.
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to interfere with force or a threat of force.
to intervene in the affairs of another country.
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Law. to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.
verb
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(often foll by in) to take a decisive or intrusive role (in) in order to modify or determine events or their outcome
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to come or be (among or between)
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(of a period of time) to occur between events or points in time
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(of an event) to disturb or hinder a course of action
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economics to take action to affect the market forces of an economy, esp to maintain the stability of a currency
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law to interpose and become a party to a legal action between others, esp in order to protect one's interests
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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intervenesimple
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intervenessimple
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have intervenedperfect
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has intervenedperfect
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am interveningprogressive
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are interveningprogressive
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is interveningprogressive
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have been interveningperfect progressive
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has been interveningperfect progressive
Past
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intervenedsimple
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had intervenedperfect
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was interveningprogressive
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were interveningprogressive
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had been interveningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of intervene
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin intervenīre “to come between,” from inter- inter- + venīre “to come”; see also basis, come
Explanation
From the Latin "intervenire," meaning “to come between,” the verb intervene means just that: to get involved, to jump in the middle of something, to interfere. The verb intervene was first recorded around 1600. Since then there haven't been many interventions in its meaning or usage. You should probably intervene in a heated verbal fight between two of your friends before it escalates and gets physical. Especially if they're debating the United States’ habit of intervening in international conflicts.
Vocabulary lists containing intervene
Power Prefix: inter-
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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:
One man told the BBC he had met Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Friday when he visited the region, saying Burnham had promised to personally intervene to help his family get their passports.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Meanwhile, county officials have stepped back — for now — from earlier threats to intervene and possibly force more immediate budget cuts upon the nation’s second-largest school system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Britain's culture minister Lisa Nandy, meanwhile, opted not to intervene in the merger, saying she had secured "assurances and further legally-binding commitments" to ensure a diverse range of broadcasting and on-demand services in the country.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
I occasionally see Waymos in New York—but with a person in the driver’s seat, ostensibly able to intervene while the system learns the city’s challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Still, despite the evidence, the law would not intervene, and the death of the Socialist was quickly forgotten.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes questioned Musk on a range of topics, from whether he believed big tech executives should work together to tackle AI safety risks to why he intervenes in European politics.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
"When one country intervenes in the decisions of another country, freedom dies," Petro wrote Tuesday in response to Trump's endorsement.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
“Real life intervenes for Kayce. Unfortunately it happens to so many of us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2026
One-third of the nation’s coal fleet plans to retire over the next five years, unless someone intervenes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026
Aunt Melissa intervenes, planting her body firmly between us and the agents.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
This will include a referee's description of why they have given a decision, or the VAR's direct reasoning for why they have not intervened.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Huckabee said Israel had intervened at the request of the United States, its crucial ally.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Burnley got into trouble while attending another high school when Marsh intervened to get him another chance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
"This is extremely important to the PM and he has personally intervened to ensure everything possible is being done so that vile groomers are dealt with in the way their victims deserve."
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
“I have no idea,” I said, and at this point the host intervened with a mention of the weather, for people had begun to eat.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
The question is whether we can last the intervening two and a half years.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
In the intervening years, however, a cottage industry of compounding pharmacies emerged, including Ro and Hims & Hers Health.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
In the intervening period, Aston Martin, as Newey put it, "overhauled how we work", improved organisation, put in place different systems, and rethought the car.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
But divine entities stopped intervening in man’s affairs long ago; besides, I had the answer drawn and nocked since I’d walked out of the theater days before.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
Despite everything that was on my mind, I felt like intervening every now and then, but my lawyer kept telling me, “Just keep quiet—it won’t do your case any good.”
From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
