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

The intervention came after a work stoppage at the Nevada warehouse in January.

From New York Times

Interviews with the teachers following the intervention also suggested that children were more calm, relaxed and attentive in class after time spent in nature.

From Science Daily

"Our work highlights a potential avenue for intervention that may aid in closing the vocabulary and language gap that exists for some of these children."

From Science Daily

"Most interventions now focus on socially isolated older adults, but we also need to target older adults who are frail and make them more engaged with social prescriptions," she says.

From Science Daily

His party has traditionally backed strong state intervention and lower taxes, and campaigned for leftist economic policies.

From BBC

Related Words

• attack
• invasion