The Meaning of Intervention: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of intervention? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word intervention, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word intervention mean?

According to Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the word intervention is a noun that refers to the act of interference in the affairs of others. This act of intervening is often used to confront a friend about an alcohol or drug addiction or illness, or a dispute between an original party and another. A medical intervention is used for someone with mental health problems or a psychological problem such as depression to get medical help. An intervention can also be an orchestrated attempt or legal motion through which some person or entity who has not been named as a party to a case looks to have the court order that they be made a party. A politician might be invested in the nation’s military interventions, or one might intervene in the market economy to support the i​​nternational value of a currency like the action of a central bank or the action of the EU to buy large quantities of the currency to keep the price up to prevent market price drops due to surplus produce and keep the price up. Intervention is four syllables – in-ter-ven-tion, and the pronunciation of intervention is ˌɪntəˈvɛnʃən. There are many types of interventions and different kind of legal intervention. 

Many different languages also contain words that mean intervention. You may notice that in this list of translations of intervention from Word Sense that some of these words and phrases look and sound a lot like the word intervention. These are called cognates, which is when translations look similar, sound similar, and mean something similar. These are usually formed when words have the same root or language of origin. You can also find translations in a Spanish dictionary, German dictionary, or French electronic resource.

  •  Indonesian: intervensi‎, campur tangan‎
  •  Scottish Gaelic: eadar-theachd‎ (masc.)
  •  Khmer: អន្តរាគមន៍‎
  •  Arabic: تَدَخُّل‎ (masc.), تَطَفُّل‎ (masc.)
  •  Portuguese: intervenção‎ (fem.)
  •  Finnish: väliintulo‎, interventio‎
  •  Japanese: 介入‎ (かいにゅう, kainyū)
  •  Dutch: tussenkomst‎ (fem.)
  •  Russian: вмеша́тельство‎ (neut.), интерве́нция‎ (fem.) (military), вторже́ние‎ (neut.) (invasion)
  •  Mandarin: 介入‎ (jièrù)
  •  Catalan: intervenció‎ (fem.)
  •  Spanish: intervención‎
  •  Hindi: हस्तक्षेप‎ (hastakṣepa)
  •  Latvian: iejaukšanās‎ (fem.)
  •  Danish: intervention‎ (common)
  •  Norwegian: intervensjon‎ (masc.)
  •  Greek: παρέμβαση‎ (fem.)
  •  Ido: interveno‎
  •  Malay: campur tangan‎, intervensi‎
  •  Ukrainian: втруча́ння‎ (neut.), інтерве́нція‎ (fem.) (military), вто́ргнення‎ (neut.) (invasion)
  •  German: Intervention‎ (fem.), Eingriff‎ (masc.)
  •  French: intervention‎
  •  Armenian: ինտերվենցիոնիզմ‎
  •  Italian: intervento‎ (masc.)
  •  Swedish: ingripande‎ (neut.)

What is the origin of the word intervention?

According to Etymonline, the word intervention has been used since Late Middle English intervencioun in early c15. This word comes from the Late Latin interventiōn, Late Latin interventionem, Latin intervenire, and stem of interventiō.

How can the word intervention be used in a sentence?

There are many examples of intervention that can be used in sentences. Looking at example sentences is a great way to add words to your vocabulary. You can also try making flashcards and quizzes for yourself to test your own knowledge. See if you can use this word of the day in a sentence today! You never know, it could become one of your new favorite words. Below are several examples of the word intervention to help get you started.

We decided on proceeding with the intervention for our friend. The admission of a person that they need professional help, medication and medical procedures is key to prevent the serious personal problem, course of a disease, and drug abuse. 

It was unsure if the overt intervention and direct intervention would work as well as the new kinds of interventions that were subtler, but after much research the average response seemed similar and dependent on individual variation.

The third person to try and start an intervention in the interests of others showed unprecedented advocacy for the students at Princeton University. He advocated for lawsuits at the unannounced meeting.

What are synonyms and antonyms of intervention?

There are many equivalent words for intervention. Synonyms are words and phrases that have the same meaning or definition as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself in written and spoken English. This list of synonyms of intervention is provided by Power Thesaurus.

  •  activity
  •  inroad
  •  invasion
  •  meddlesomeness
  •  confrontation
  •  disturbance
  •  hitch
  •  intermediate
  •  interruption
  •  hindrance
  •  ball and chain
  •  intrusions
  •  coattail
  •  intrusion
  •  intermediation
  •  obstruction
  •  coattails
  •  encroachment
  •  facilitation
  •  aid
  •  aegis
  •  mediation
  •  mitzvah
  •  interposition
  •  agencies
  •  reconciliation
  •  help
  •  bar
  •  resistance
  •  conciliation
  •  interruptions
  •  break
  •  forced entrance
  •  block
  •  meddling
  •  interfere
  •  obstacle
  •  check
  •  impediment
  •  action
  •  interference
  •  support
  •  intervene
  •  hand
  •  encumbrance
  •  intercessions
  •  operation
  •  tampering
  •  intrusiveness
  •  auspices
  •  answer
  •  negotiation
  •  military action
  •  restraint
  •  intermeddling
  •  barrier
  •  good deed
  •  circumstance
  •  troubleshooting
  •  meddle
  •  trespass
  •  intercession
  •  armed intervention
  •  barging in
  •  vehicle
  •  treatment
  •  obtrusion
  •  adjudication
  •  obstructing
  •  interloping
  •  agency
  •  insinuation
  •  assistance
  •  interfering
  •  prying
  •  blockage
  •  involvement
  •  baggage
  •  office
  •  compromise
  •  police action
  •  attack
  •  medium
  •  backing
  •  instrumentality
  •  offices
  •  treatments
  •  handicap
  •  good offices
  •  albatross
  •  backseat driving
  •  interjection
  •  intermediacy
  •  injection
  •  impingement
  •  incursion
  •  stepping in
  •  arbitration
  •  drawback
  •  helping hand
  •  interposal

There are also numerous words and phrases that mean the opposite of the word intervention. These opposite words are called antonyms. Learning antonyms is useful for expanding your English language vocabulary in a quick and easy way. This list of antonyms for the word intervention is also provided by Power Thesaurus.

  •  advice
  •  accessory
  •  advantage
  •  relief
  •  plus
  •  aid
  •  general consensus
  •  perquisite
  •  facilitation
  •  favor
  •  exhortation
  •  direct action
  •  guide
  •  merit
  •  assistance
  •  pique
  •  service
  •  acquirement
  •  cure
  •  incitement
  •  encouragement
  •  cheer
  •  godsend
  •  bonus
  •  guidance
  •  help
  •  challenge
  •  blessing
  •  maid
  •  lift
  •  perk
  •  promotion
  •  excitement
  •  pick-me-up
  •  opportunity
  •  exasperation
  •  crutch
  •  patronage
  •  edge
  •  employee
  •  boost
  •  bargain
  •  pointer
  •  laissez-faire
  •  big picture
  •  aggravation
  •  amenity
  •  procuration
  •  helping hand
  •  convenience
  •  holding
  •  buy
  •  noninterventionism
  •  privilege
  •  deal
  •  gratuity
  •  instigation
  •  acquisition
  •  avail
  •  accretion
  •  good buy
  •  facility
  •  balm
  •  gain
  •  domestic
  •  good deal
  •  feather in your cap
  •  benefit
  •  bolster
  •  backup
  •  perks
  •  possession
  •  comfort
  •  addition
  •  noninterference
  •  abetment
  •  nonintervention
  •  gift
  •  affront
  •  support
  •  furtherance
  •  assuagement
  •  advance
  •  boon
  •  irritation
  •  abet
  •  hand
  •  investment
  •  asset
  •  corrective
  •  backing
  •  influence
  •  assistant
  •  laxity
  •  helper
  •  ease
  •  assist
  •  cooperation
  •  incitation
  •  profit

Overall, the word intervention means an act of involving oneself in a course of events for their own interest. This can be used in economics, a question of law, and more. 

Sources:

  1. Intervention definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 
  2. Intervention synonyms – 664 Words and Phrases for Intervention | Power Thesaurus 
  3. Intervention antonyms – 133 Opposites of Intervention | Power Thesaurus 
  4. intervention: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  5. intervention | Origin and meaning of intervention | Online Etymology Dictionary