Word
intervene
Meanings
to step in and take action in a situation to prevent harm, settle a dispute, or change what is happening
to become involved officially or externally in a process or conflict to influence its outcome
Definition
To intervene means to step in to change or prevent a situation, especially to stop harm or resolve a problem.
To intervene is to become involved in a situation in order to influence what happens. People intervene to stop something from getting worse, to protect someone, or to help reach a solution. It often suggests acting at the right moment rather than staying passive.
Examples
- I decided to intervene when the discussion turned personal and unproductive.
- You should intervene early if you notice the project is drifting off course.
- He didn’t intervene until he had checked the facts with both sides.
- She felt compelled to intervene after seeing a stranger being harassed on the platform.
- They agreed to intervene only as a last resort, once informal solutions had failed.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "intervene" with "interview" and may say "interview in" instead of "intervene in."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.