interfere
Americanverb (used without object)
-
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.
-
to take part in the affairs of others; meddle (often followed by with orin ).
to interfere in another's life.
-
(of things) to strike against each other, or one against another, so as to hamper or hinder action; come into physical collision.
-
to interpose or intervene for a particular purpose.
- Synonyms:
- intercede
-
to strike one foot or leg against another in moving, as a horse.
-
Sports.
-
to obstruct the action of an opposing player in a way barred by the rules.
-
Football. to run interference for a teammate carrying the ball.
-
-
Physics. to cause interference.
-
to clash; come in collision; be in opposition.
The claims of two nations may interfere.
-
Law. to claim earlier invention when several patent requests for the same invention are being filed.
verb phrase
verb
-
(often foll by in) to interpose, esp meddlesomely or unwarrantedly; intervene
-
(often foll by with) to come between or in opposition; hinder; obstruct
-
euphemistic (foll by with) to assault sexually
-
to strike one against the other, as a horse's legs
-
physics to cause or produce interference
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
interferernoun
-
interferingadjective
-
noninterferingadjective
-
interferinglyadverb
-
noninterferinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
interferesimple
-
interferessimple
-
have interferedperfect
-
has interferedperfect
-
am interferingprogressive
-
are interferingprogressive
-
is interferingprogressive
-
have been interferingperfect progressive
-
has been interferingperfect progressive
Past
-
interferedsimple
-
had interferedperfect
-
was interferingprogressive
-
were interferingprogressive
-
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-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In a statement it said: "Israel has, of course, no intention to interfere in the French political process, be it at the national or municipal level."
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
They worry that launch emissions and vaporized space junk could damage the ozone layer and interfere with the atmosphere’s complex chemistry in other ways.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
"It's not your job to interfere into our country."
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
“Any attempt to interfere with voting or election operations is taken seriously. We will continue working closely with law enforcement and other partners to safeguard the voting process and ensure voters can participate with confidence.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
“She seems just a little bit stiff,” I said, after a moment or two, “perhaps she thought I was going to interfere with the running of the house.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
