interfere
B2Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
To get involved in a situation where you are not wanted or needed, often causing problems or preventing something from happening.
To have a negative or obstructive effect; to meddle or intervene inappropriately; in physics, to combine waves so that they increase or cancel each other.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Almost always has a negative connotation when referring to human actions. The physics meaning is technical and neutral.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both use 'interfere with' and 'interfere in' similarly.
Connotations
Identical negative connotation of unwanted meddling.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
interfere with [something]interfere in [something]interfere [no object]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “interfere with the course of justice”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Regulations should not interfere with market competition.
Academic
External variables may interfere with the experimental results.
Everyday
Please don't interfere while I'm trying to work.
Technical
The two radio signals interfere, causing static.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The government should not interfere in private family matters.
- Mobile phone signals can interfere with hospital equipment.
American English
- Don't interfere with the investigation.
- The bad weather interfered with our travel plans.
adverb
British English
- He acted interferingly, which annoyed everyone.
American English
- She looked at him interferingly, prompting him to stop.
adjective
British English
- The interfering neighbour was always gossiping.
- An interfering signal ruined the broadcast.
American English
- She has an interfering mother-in-law.
- We detected interfering noise on the line.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My little brother always tries to interfere when I play games.
- Noise can interfere with my sleep.
- Parents should not interfere too much in their children's friendships.
- The new law might interfere with people's rights.
- The manager warned him not to interfere in departmental disputes.
- Economic sanctions are designed to interfere with the country's trade.
- The judge accused the media of attempting to interfere with the judicial process.
- Quantum particles can interfere with each other's wave functions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a referee (sounds like 'interfere') blowing the whistle to stop play – they are intervening in the game.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTERFERENCE IS AN OBSTACLE / INTERFERENCE IS AN INTRUSION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'интересовать' (to interest). The Russian verb 'вмешиваться' is a closer match.
- Do not confuse with 'intervene' (вмешаться) which can be more neutral or positive.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'interfere' without a preposition (e.g., 'He interfered the process' – incorrect). It requires 'with' or 'in'.
- Using 'interfere to' instead of 'interfere with' (e.g., 'It interferes to work' – incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition most commonly follows 'interfere' when talking about disrupting a process?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In social contexts, yes, it implies unwanted or harmful meddling. In physics, it is a neutral technical term.
'Interfere in' suggests involvement in a situation or affair (e.g., interfere in politics). 'Interfere with' suggests hindering or disrupting a process, object, or person (e.g., interfere with a signal).
Extremely rarely. Even 'intervene', which can be positive, is not a direct synonym. 'Interfere' inherently carries a negative judgement.
In certain technical fields (e.g., communications, sports) the noun is very frequent. In general usage, the verb is common.