interventionism

American  

[in-ter-ven-shuh-niz-uhm] / ˌɪn tərˈvɛn ʃəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the policy or doctrine of intervening, especially government interference in the affairs of another state or in domestic economic affairs.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interventionist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of interventionism

First recorded in 1920–25; intervention + -ism

Compare meaning

How does interventionism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• isolationism vs. interventionism

Example Sentences

“We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive,” said the vice president, who is known for being skeptical of military interventionism.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

This fitted in with the era of liberal interventionism that the UK had backed from the 1990s under Tony Blair, intervening in the Balkans to prevent bloodshed in Kosovo.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

"On 23 February 1981, 200 years of military interventionism in Spain came to an end," he wrote in El Pais newspaper, saying that was the moment that democracy "truly began in Spain".

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

I asked Graham if he felt that he had won the battle against Paul in favor of interventionism.

From Slate • Jan. 7, 2026

Yet, these are generally the same Americans whose eager interventionism helped push America into the two world wars of this century.

From The Invisible Government by Smoot, Dan