intervention

[ in-ter-ven-shuhn ]

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.

intervention

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˌinterˈventional, adjective

Other Words From

• in·ter·ven·tion·al in·ter·ven·tion·ar·y adjective
• pro·in·ter·ven·tion adjective
• re·in·ter·ven·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of intervention¹

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

Example Sentences

Gabbard, who served in the Hawaii National Guard and then joined an Army reserve unit that was deployed to Iraq, has said that her skepticism of intervention was rooted in her experience from serving in a war that she saw as unnecessary and costly.

From Salon

Dr. Gary Slutkin is an epidemiologist formerly with the World Health Organization, where he founded the Intervention Unit, which designed innovations in epidemic control.

From Salon

Divine intervention aside, it’s the lack of intervention from the Valencia and central government which is now infuriating him.

From BBC

Rubio, a hawkish Republican who has consistently favored American military intervention overseas, nominally diverges from Grenell and other America First proponents who say that they to want prioritize U.S. interests rather act as a world policeman.

From Salon

And in 1990, a man sprayed acid on to the painting - although, this time, thanks to a guard's rapid intervention, only the varnish was damaged.

From BBC

Related Words

• attack
• invasion