intervention
gb/ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/ us/ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
B2
English
~ 2400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
Act of getting involved to alter outcome
The act of getting involved in a situation to try to change it.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s intervention in [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'intervention' with 'interaction'; 'intervention' means getting involved to change something, not just communicating.
Synonyms
involvement (More general; does not necessarily imply trying to change the outcome.)
|
interference (Often has a negative connotation, suggesting unwanted involvement.)
Antonyms
noninterference (Deliberately not becoming involved in a situation.)
Collocations
military intervention
|government intervention
|timely intervention
|direct intervention
|humanitarian intervention
Themes
conflict
|politics
|health
|law
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The teacher's intervention stopped the argument before it got worse.
- International intervention was needed to prevent a humanitarian crisis.
- Her quick intervention saved the child's life.
- The dispute ended thanks to the manager's timely intervention.
Learner examples
- The police made an intervention to stop the fight.
- His intervention helped solve the problem.
- The doctor made an intervention during the operation.
- We needed her intervention to end the argument.
Noun
technical
B2
action
2
Planned action to address a problem
A planned action to help or fix a problem, often in health or social care.
Usage pattern:
[type] intervention for [condition/problem]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'intervention' with 'invention'; 'intervention' is about action taken, not creating something new.
Synonyms
treatment (Refers more generally to medical or remedial care.)
|
therapy (Usually refers to ongoing treatment rather than a single action.)
Antonyms
neglect (Failure to take any action to improve a condition.)
Collocations
medical intervention
|surgical intervention
|therapeutic intervention
|behavioral intervention
Themes
health
|education
|social issues
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Early medical intervention can save lives.
- The program provides interventions for children with learning difficulties.
- A surgical intervention was necessary to repair the damage.
Learner examples
- The doctor gave an intervention to help the patient.
- We use special interventions for children with this problem.
- The nurse made an intervention after seeing the wound.
Grammar
Dictionary form
intervention
IPA
GB/ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
US/ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
Syllables & stress
in - ter - ven - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: intervention
- Plural: intervention, interventions
Word family
Forms
interventions
noun
Core family
intervene
verb B2
Related words
interventionist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
non-intervention
noun
Advanced or less common
interventionism
noun C1
interventional
adjective
Expressions
military intervention
1/mˈɪlɪtˌɛɹi ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
Armed involvement in foreign affairs
When a country's army enters another country to affect what is happening there.
Examples
- The UN debated whether military intervention was justified.
- Military intervention ended the conflict but caused political tension.
humanitarian intervention
1/hjˌumˌænətˈɛɹiən ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
intervention to stop mass suffering
Action by one or more countries, sometimes using military force, to try to stop serious human rights abuses or suffering in another country.
Examples
- Humanitarian intervention was needed after the earthquake.
- The government debated whether a humanitarian intervention was justified to protect civilians.
- They called for humanitarian intervention to protect civilians.
- Critics argued that the so‑called humanitarian intervention was really about political interests.
timely intervention
1/tˈaɪmli ˌɪntɚvˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
early action that changes outcome
An action that happens early enough in a situation to stop something bad or make the result better.
Examples
- His timely intervention prevented a serious accident.
- Only the nurse’s timely intervention prevented the patient from falling.
- Thanks to her timely intervention, the company avoided bankruptcy.
- Timely intervention by the regulator stopped the fraud from spreading further.