intervene

[ in-ter-veen ]
See synonyms for: interveneintervenedintervenesintervening on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),in·ter·vened, in·ter·ven·ing.
  1. to come between disputing people, groups, etc.; intercede; mediate.

  2. to occur or be between two things.

  1. to occur or happen between other events or periods: Nothing important intervened between the meetings.

  2. (of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder: We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.

  3. to interfere with force or a threat of force: to intervene in the affairs of another country.

  4. Law. to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.

Origin of intervene

1
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin intervenīre “to come between,” from inter- inter- + venīre “to come”; see also basis, come

Other words for intervene

Other words from intervene

  • re·in·ter·vene, verb (used without object), re·in·ter·vened, re·in·ter·ven·ing.
  • un·in·ter·ven·ing, adjective

Words Nearby intervene

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use intervene in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for intervene

intervene

/ (ˌɪntəˈviːn) /


verb(intr)
  1. (often foll by in) to take a decisive or intrusive role (in) in order to modify or determine events or their outcome

  2. (foll by in or between) to come or be (among or between)

  1. (of a period of time) to occur between events or points in time

  2. (of an event) to disturb or hinder a course of action

  3. economics to take action to affect the market forces of an economy, esp to maintain the stability of a currency

  4. law to interpose and become a party to a legal action between others, esp in order to protect one's interests

Origin of intervene

1
C16: from Latin intervenīre to come between, from inter- + venīre to come

Derived forms of intervene

  • intervener or intervenor, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012