interview
Americannoun
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a formal meeting in which one or more persons question, consult, or evaluate another person.
a job interview.
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a meeting or conversation in which a writer or reporter asks questions of one or more persons from whom material is sought for a newspaper story, television broadcast, etc.
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the report of such a conversation or meeting.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to have an interview; be interviewed (sometimes followed bywith ).
She interviewed with eight companies before accepting a job.
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to give or conduct an interview.
to interview to fill job openings.
noun
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a conversation with or questioning of a person, usually conducted for television, radio, or a newspaper
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a formal discussion, esp one in which an employer assesses an applicant for a job
verb
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to conduct an interview with (someone)
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(intr) to be interviewed, esp for a job
he interviewed well and was given the position
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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interviewableadjective
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interviewernoun
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uninterviewedadjective
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reinterviewnoun
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intervieweenoun
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quasi-interviewedadjective
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preinterviewnoun
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self-interviewnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have interviewedperfect
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has interviewedperfect 3rd person singular
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am interviewingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been interviewingperfect progressive
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interviewssingular 3rd person
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interviewingparticiple
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are interviewingprogressive
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has been interviewingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is interviewingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had interviewedperfect
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was interviewingprogressive singular
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were interviewingprogressive plural
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interviewedsimple
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interviewedparticiple
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had been interviewingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of interview
First recorded in 1505–15; inter- + view; replacing enterview, from Middle French entrevue, noun use of feminine of entrevu “glimpsed,” past participle of entrevoir “to glimpse,” from entre “between” + voir “to see”
Explanation
Interview can be a verb or a noun, but whatever form it takes, it involves a formal meeting and asking or answering questions. When you go to a job interview, be prepared to answer questions about your strengths and weaknesses. The noun form of interview refers to a question-and-answer session. You’ve probably seen a TV interview with a famous person, or you may have gone to an interview with a college admissions director. The verb form of the word describes the act of asking the questions. You might interview a local politician for your school paper. Often an interview involves some kind of evaluation, so speak carefully if someone is interviewing you, especially if it's going to be published!
Vocabulary lists containing interview
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Common Senses: Vid, Vis ("See")
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Journalism
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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.
In an interview with JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon on Thursday, Musk said that SpaceX serves as a “vital element” of U.S. national security.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
A witness named Michael, who saw the crash, said in an interview with OnScene.TV that the car was traveling at a high rate of speed and that the driver was a woman.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
US President Donald Trump abruptly walked out of an interview with NBC after being repeatedly challenged on several claims by the show's presenter Kristen Welker.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
On Sunday, Welker told viewers that she had spoken with Trump on Saturday about the weather disruptions and that he had agreed to give her another interview.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The interview continues back and forth with the reporter getting increasingly frustrated and the FBI agent refusing to say anything interesting.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
