noun
intervention
ihn-tuh-VEHN-shuhn
noun
1
The act of becoming involved in a situation in order to influence or change its outcome.
"Doctors recommended early intervention to slow the disease."
"Foreign intervention in the conflict remains controversial."
2
A planned confrontation in which family or friends urge someone to get help for an addiction or harmful behaviour.
"His family staged an intervention after his drinking spiralled out of control."
3
A medical procedure or operation.
"The patient required surgical intervention within hours."
How to Use Intervention
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStepping in to change how a situation unfolds — from politics to medicine to a friend's addiction.
Common pairings
military intervention
stage an intervention
early intervention
Word Forms
interventions plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “intervention”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Doctors recommended early _____ to slow the disease.
Etymology
From Latin interventio, from intervenire, "to come between."