intervene
gb/ˌɪntɚvˈin/ us/ˌɪntɚvˈin/
B2
English
~ 5300
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
Get involved to change a situation
To step into a situation and try to change what is happening, usually to stop something bad or to help solve a problem.
Usage pattern:
to intervene in [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *intervene into* instead of *intervene in*. The correct preposition is usually *in*: "The teacher intervened in the fight." Learners also confuse *intervene* with *interrupt*. *Interrupt* is about stopping someone from speaking or an activity for a moment, while *intervene* is about becoming involved to change a situation.
Synonyms
step in (More informal; often used in everyday speech for quickly getting involved in a situation.)
|
interfere (Often more negative, suggesting unwanted or annoying involvement.)
|
mediate (Focuses on trying to help two sides reach agreement, especially in conflicts.)
Antonyms
stay out (Emphasizes deliberately not becoming involved in a situation.)
|
ignore (Suggests choosing not to pay attention to a problem or conflict.)
Collocations
intervene in a dispute
|intervene in the conflict
|intervene in domestic affairs
|police intervened
|refuse to intervene
|government intervenes
Themes
social
|conflict
|law
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The teacher had to intervene when the argument between the students became heated.
- Human rights groups are urging the international community to intervene in the crisis.
- Neighbors intervened to separate the two men before a fight broke out.
- The company refused to intervene in the dispute between the manager and his team.
- If parents fail to intervene early, the child's behavior may get worse.
Learner examples
- The police intervened before anyone was hurt.
- My sister tried to intervene when we started to shout at each other.
- The doctor intervened quickly and saved the patient's life.
- Sometimes it is better not to intervene in other people's problems.
- The government decided to intervene in the strike talks.
unknown
B2
event
2
Unexpected events change or disrupt plans
When something happens and it changes or stops what you planned to do.
Usage pattern:
to intervene and [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the more active sense of *intervene*, where a person chooses to act. In this sense, *intervene* is usually used with non-human subjects like *events*, *problems*, or *illness* and suggests something happens unexpectedly and changes the plan.
Synonyms
interfere (Emphasizes getting in the way of something; can sound more negative or blame-focused.)
|
disrupt (Stresses breaking the normal flow of an activity or process.)
Antonyms
proceed (Means to continue or move forward without interruption.)
|
go as planned (Describes a situation where nothing happens to change or stop the plan.)
Collocations
events intervened
|circumstances intervened
|illness intervened
|fate intervened
|nothing intervened
|let nothing intervene
Themes
daily life
|time
|problems
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I was going to visit you last weekend, but work intervened.
- Several crises intervened and delayed the project for months.
- Their relationship might have survived if illness had not intervened.
- We meant to launch in May, yet a series of technical problems intervened.
- Nothing intervened, and the ceremony went ahead smoothly.
Learner examples
- I wanted to call you, but something intervened.
- He planned to study abroad, but money problems intervened.
- The match was going well until heavy rain intervened.
- We were ready to leave, but an emergency intervened.
- If nothing intervenes, we will finish on time.
Verb
formal
C1
state
3
Be physically between two things
To be in the space that is between two things or places.
Usage pattern:
to intervene between [things]
Synonyms
separate (Focuses more on dividing two things rather than simply existing between them.)
|
lie between (More neutral and literal; commonly used in descriptions of space or geography.)
Antonyms
touch (If two things touch, nothing intervenes between them.)
|
adjoin (Implies two things are next to each other with no space in between.)
Collocations
a wall intervenes
|a barrier intervened
|intervening space
|intervening distance
|intervening area
Themes
space
|description
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A narrow alley intervened between the two houses.
- Only a thin curtain intervened between the patient and the busy corridor.
- A deep ravine intervened, making a direct route impossible.
- Tall hedges intervened, blocking our view of the road.
- Nothing intervened between the cliff edge and the sea below.
Learner examples
- A small garden intervened between the road and the house.
- A glass wall intervened between us and the animals in the zoo.
- Several tall trees intervened, so we could not see the lake clearly.
- Only a thin fence intervened between the children and the river.
- No other buildings intervened between the hotel and the beach.
Verb
formal
C1
event
4
Time or events occur between other events
To happen or pass in the time between two events.
Usage pattern:
to intervene between [events]
Synonyms
elapse (Focuses on time passing, not on events happening in that time.)
|
come between (More general; can describe either time or events separating two points.)
Antonyms
follow immediately (Suggests that nothing, or no time, comes between two events.)
Collocations
years intervened
|months intervened
|decades intervened
|little time intervened
|much had intervened
Themes
time
|history
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Nearly twenty years intervened between their first meeting and their next conversation.
- Several months intervened before the government responded to the report.
- Only a few minutes intervened between the two explosions.
- Much had intervened in the decade since they last saw each other.
- Three generations intervened between the founder and the current owner.
Learner examples
- Ten years intervened between his first book and his second book.
- Only a short time intervened between the accident and the rescue.
- Many things intervened in the years before they met again.
- Several weeks intervened before she got a reply.
- A long period intervened between the two wars.
Verb
technical
C2
action
5
Join an existing legal case
In legal cases, to officially join a case that has already started.
Usage pattern:
to intervene in [a case/proceeding]
Synonyms
join (a case) (More general legal verb; does not specifically imply joining after the case has begun.)
Antonyms
withdraw (Means to remove oneself from a case, the opposite of joining it.)
Collocations
intervene in the lawsuit
|intervene in the proceedings
|motion to intervene
|right to intervene
|court allowed X to intervene
Themes
law
|politics
Examples
- The environmental group asked to intervene in the lawsuit against the oil company.
- The court denied the company's request to intervene in the antitrust proceedings.
- Several states intervened in the case, arguing that the law was unconstitutional.
- The judge ruled that the organization had no standing to intervene.
- The union filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the workers.
Learner examples
- The charity wanted to intervene in the court case.
- A third company tried to intervene in the legal dispute.
- The judge did not allow the group to intervene.
- Three cities intervened in the case about air pollution.
- Her lawyer said they might intervene in another case.
Grammar
Dictionary form
intervene
IPA
GB/ˌɪntɚvˈin/
US/ˌɪntɚvˈin/
Syllables & stress
in - ter - vene (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: intervene
- 3rd Person Singular: intervenes
- Present Participle: intervening
- Past: intervened
Word family
Forms
intervenes
verb
intervening
verb
intervened
verb
Core family
intervention
noun B2
Related words
interventionist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
nonintervention
noun
Advanced or less common
interventionism
noun C1
interventional
adjective
Expressions
events intervened
4/ɪvˈɛnts ˌɪntɚvˈind/
fixed phrase
Unexpected events stopped the plan
Used to say that something happened which changed or stopped what you planned to do.
Examples
- I meant to finish the report last week, but events intervened.
- We had planned a quiet holiday, yet events intervened and we spent most of it working.
intervene between the two sides
2/ˌɪntɚvˈin bɪtwˈin ðə tˈu sˈaɪdz/
fixed phrase
Come between two opposing groups
To get involved between two people or groups who are in conflict, in order to change what is happening.
Examples
- The United Nations offered to intervene between the two sides to help reach a peace deal.
- A senior manager intervened between the two sides before the argument became more serious.
intervene in a dispute
1/ˌɪntɚvˈin ˈɪn ə dɪspjˈut/
fixed phrase
Get involved in a disagreement
To step into an argument or fight and try to change or stop it.
Examples
- Managers should only intervene in a dispute between employees as a last resort.
- The police were called to intervene in a dispute outside the nightclub.
intervene in the market
5/ˌɪntɚvˈin ˈɪn ðə mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
formal
Government acts in the economy
When a government or central bank takes action to change what is happening in the economy or in financial markets.
Examples
- The central bank intervened in the market to prevent the currency from falling further.
- Some economists argue that the government should not intervene in the market at all.
intervene on someone's behalf
3/ˌɪntɚvˈin ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌnz bɪhˈæf/
fixed phrase
Act to help someone in a situation
To get involved in a situation in order to support or protect a particular person.
Examples
- Her lawyer intervened on her behalf during the negotiations.
- Several colleagues intervened on his behalf and asked the boss to give him another chance.