intervention

American  

[in-ter-ven-shuhn] / ˌɪn tərˈvɛn ʃən /

noun

1. the act or fact of coming or occurring between two people, things, or times.

   Squabbling siblings generally work things out themselves, but this fight called for parental intervention.

   Even the intervention of 20 years hadn’t erased their mutual dislike.

2. interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of another.

   The UN’s prohibition of armed intervention in the civil war can easily be criticized as antihumanitarian.

3. a planned confrontation of someone engaging in self-destructive behavior, such as substance abuse, to convince them to seek treatment.

   She thought her drinking was a well-kept secret until she came home to find six of her siblings and friends ready to conduct an intervention.

4. Education.  a targeted short-term teaching strategy for students with specific needs.

   Reading interventions kept several of her students from having to switch to remedial classes.

5. Medicine/Medical.  a treatment, procedure, or other action taken to prevent or treat disease, or to improve health in other ways.

   The patient has responded well to nonpharmacological interventions for high blood pressure.

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intervention British  

/ ˌɪntəˈvɛnʃən /

noun

1. the act of intervening

2. any interference in the affairs of others, esp by one state in the affairs of another

3. economics the action of a central bank in supporting the international value of a currency by buying large quantities of the currency to keep the price up

4. commerce the action of the EU in buying up surplus produce when the market price drops to a certain value

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Other Word Forms

• interventional adjective
• interventionary adjective
• prointervention adjective
• reintervention noun

Etymology

Origin of intervention

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin interventiōn-, stem of interventiō “interruption, occurrence”; equivalent to intervene + -tion

Example Sentences

In December 1886, Samuel Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor, organizing only skilled workers and focusing on “pure and simple” unionism that rejected state intervention.

From The Wall Street Journal

The restructuring is also to align better with district literacy and intervention goals, which will make a larger impact, Mitchell said.

From Los Angeles Times

Could that be about to change with direct intervention from the Oval Office?

From BBC

Nicknamed “God’s influencer,” Carlo was canonized for his internet evangelism, his faith amid fatal sickness and other reasons, including two healing miracles attributed to his posthumous intervention.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Spring” is a densely packed wall, interrupted by two doorways, which causes Ms. Yukhnovich’s floral interventions to cluster particularly close together, suggesting the sudden bursting forth of life following the hoary months.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• interference
• mediation