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:
State medical organizations, in turn, blamed lawmakers for writing ambiguous laws that offered no guidance about when doctors can intervene.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
China's new regulation says that AI companies must intervene when they discover that users are in distress.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Katayama has repeatedly reaffirmed that Tokyo is working closely with the U.S. to ensure stability in the foreign-exchange market, reinforcing views that Japan is ready to intervene again as needed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Police urged the public to alert them to more runaway seals and not attempt to intervene themselves.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Of course I will intervene ... if I choose to.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
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
We can see Houghton’s play in these moments, but then Alloway’s cheeky pop sensibility intervenes, the arch artificiality and ironic tone draining the emotional impact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
But it suggested that Beijing views an amphibious assault on Taiwan as risky and likely to fail, particularly if the U.S. intervenes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
Out in the yard, the two kids start arguing over the bubble wand, and their mom intervenes.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
With several powerful groups refusing to disarm, senior politicians have intervened and are now hoping to work out a compromise deal.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
It said its foreign ministry made dozens of calls to nudge peace along, and that President Xi Jinping himself had intervened with suggestions to end the fighting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
India's National Commission for Women has also intervened, calling for all those involved to be identified and arrested and for an impartial investigation.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
I believe Mr. Bessent intervened to keep the party going.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Security Council intervened in South African affairs, blaming the government for the shootings and urging it to initiate measures to bring about racial equality.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
FTC officials say Amazon has secretly inflated the minimum prices required to win ad placements, intervening in auctions to raise the price 70% to 80% of the time.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
According to other activists who witnessed what happened, Palestinian children were playing football when children from settler families started intervening.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
CIF membership has been cautious about intervening or limiting transfer opportunities for fear politicians in Sacramento might get involved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Those have included intervening in the currency markets to support the Japanese yen, a move that could in turn reduce pressure on Japan’s government to sell U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Colonel Edmund Rice, chief of the exposition’s Columbian Guard, described what it was like to stand in a shaded wood at Gettysburg as Pickett launched his men across the intervening field.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
