interview
gb/ˈɪntɚvjˌu/ us/ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
B1
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
Formal question-and-answer meeting
A planned meeting where someone asks you questions, often for a job or for the news.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has an interview with [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'interview' with 'meeting'. An interview is usually one-sided questioning for a specific purpose.
Synonyms
meeting (A general term for people coming together; less specific than 'interview'.)
|
discussion (More informal and less structured than an interview.)
Antonyms
monologue (A speech by one person without questions or interaction.)
Collocations
job interview
|interview panel
|media interview
|interview process
|phone interview
Themes
business
|media
|daily life
|work
|communication
Examples
- She had an interview with the company’s HR manager yesterday.
- The celebrity gave an interview to the magazine about her new movie.
- I have three interviews scheduled for next week.
- During the interview, they asked me about my work experience.
- The interview lasted for over an hour.
Learner examples
- I have a job interview tomorrow.
- He went to an interview at the radio station.
- My friend had an interview with a big company.
- The teacher gave an interview to the school newspaper.
Verb
B1
action
2
Ask questions in a formal meeting
To meet someone and ask them questions in a formal way, often for a job or the news.
Usage pattern:
to interview [someone] about [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'interview with' incorrectly as a verb phrase; correct usage is 'interview someone', not 'interview with someone'.
Synonyms
question (A more general term; can be less formal than 'interview'.)
|
grill (Informal; suggests intense or aggressive questioning.)
Antonyms
ignore (To not ask any questions or engage with someone at all.)
Collocations
interview candidates
|interview witnesses
|interview applicants
Themes
business
|media
|work
|communication
Examples
- The manager will interview all shortlisted applicants next week.
- The journalist interviewed the mayor about the new policy.
- We need to interview more candidates before making a decision.
- She was interviewed live on television.
- Police interviewed several witnesses after the accident.
Learner examples
- The boss will interview me tomorrow.
- They interviewed the singer on TV.
- The police interviewed two people about the crime.
- I will interview three people today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
interview
IPA
GB/ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
US/ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
Syllables & stress
in - ter - view (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: interview
- Plural: interviews
Verb
- Base: interview
- 3rd Person Singular: interviews
- Present Participle: interviewing
- Past: interviewed
Word family
Forms
interviews
noun
interviewing
verb
interviewed
verb
Core family
interviewer
noun B1
interviewee
noun B2
Expressions
exit interview
1/ˈɛksɪt ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
fixed phrase
Meeting with departing employee
A meeting where a company talks with an employee who is leaving to learn their opinions.
Examples
- HR conducted an exit interview to understand why he resigned.
- Exit interviews help improve workplace conditions.
job interview
1/d͡ʒˈɑb ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
fixed phrase
Meeting to assess job suitability
A meeting where an employer asks you questions to decide if you can have the job.
Examples
- I have a job interview at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
- Job interviews can be stressful, so prepare well.
panel interview
1/pˈænəl ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
fixed phrase
Interview by several people together
An interview where more than one person asks you questions at the same time.
Examples
- The panel interview lasted nearly two hours.
- Panel interviews can be intimidating for candidates.
telephone interview
1/tˈɛləfˌoʊn ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
fixed phrase
Interview over the phone
An interview that happens on the phone instead of in person.
Examples
- We will arrange a telephone interview next week.
- Telephone interviews are common for initial screening.
informational interview
1/ˌɪnfɔɹmˈeɪʃənəl ˈɪntɚvjˌu/
fixed phrase
meeting to learn about a career
A short, planned meeting where you ask someone questions to learn about their job, company, or career path, not to ask for a job directly.
Examples
- She set up an informational interview with a marketing director.
- She scheduled an informational interview with a marketing manager to learn more about the industry.
- Informational interviews can help you choose a career path.
- Career counselors often recommend doing informational interviews before changing fields.
- During the informational interview, he asked about the company culture and typical workday.