intervention
C1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The act of becoming involved in a situation to alter or prevent an outcome, especially by a formal or official party.
Can refer to any instance of stepping in to change the course of events, from personal (e.g., helping a friend) to international (e.g., military action). Also used in medical/psychological contexts for a structured process of confronting a problem (e.g., addiction intervention).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term inherently suggests an external actor. Its connotations range from positive (necessary aid) to negative (unwanted interference), heavily dependent on context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British academic/governmental contexts, 'intervention' might be used more frequently in discussions of social welfare policy. In American media, it's strongly associated with 'addiction intervention' and foreign military action.
Connotations
UK: Often carries a slightly more bureaucratic or state-authorised nuance. US: Can have a stronger dramatic/personal connotation due to the 'TV intervention' trope.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both varieties, especially in news, policy, and academic discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
intervention in (something)intervention by (someone/body)intervention on behalf of (someone)intervention to do (something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stage an intervention”
- “divine intervention”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to actions by management or regulators to correct market failures or company strategy. 'The central bank's intervention stabilized the currency.'
Academic
Used in social sciences, medicine, and education to describe a planned action in a study or policy. 'The research measured the effects of the educational intervention.'
Everyday
Often used for personal situations where someone steps in. 'My brother's intervention stopped the argument from getting worse.'
Technical
In computing/engineering: an action taken by a system or user to override automatic processes. In medicine: a specific procedure or treatment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The authorities may intervene if the protests turn violent.
- She decided to intervene before the situation escalated further.
American English
- The government will not intervene in the dispute.
- I had to intervene when I saw the bullying.
adverb
British English
- The committee acted interventionally, which was unexpected.
- He spoke interventionally during the meeting.
American English
- The law was applied interventionally in this case.
- She stepped in interventionally to mediate.
adjective
British English
- The interventionist policies of the state are often debated.
- He took an interventionary approach to management.
American English
- The US has a history of interventionist foreign policy.
- The therapy uses an interventional radiology technique.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher's intervention helped the children share the toys.
- A quick intervention stopped the small fire from spreading.
- The police intervention was necessary to control the crowd.
- Early intervention in health problems can save lives.
- The UN debated the legality of a military intervention in the region.
- The new policy marks a significant intervention in the housing market.
- Critics argue that such fiscal interventions distort the free market.
- The therapeutic intervention was predicated on a biopsychosocial model.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of INTER-VEN-TION: coming IN BETWEEN (inter) a VENt (an opening/situation) to take acTION.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTERVENTION IS AN INTERRUPTION OF A FLOW/PATH. (e.g., 'The course of the disease was altered by the intervention.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct cognate 'интервенция', which is strongly and almost exclusively associated with hostile military invasion in Russian, making it far narrower and more negative than the English term.
- Do not use 'вмешательство' indiscriminately; for positive/neutral contexts, consider 'вмешательство' or 'участие', for medical contexts 'мероприятие' or 'вмешательство'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'intervention' to mean a simple 'interaction'. (Incorrect: 'Our intervention was pleasant.').
- Confusing 'intervention' (the act) with 'interval' (a period of time between events).
- Incorrect preposition: 'intervention of' (usually wrong) vs. 'intervention in' or 'intervention by'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'intervention' typically have a positive connotation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often used formally, it can describe informal personal actions (e.g., a parent's intervention in a sibling quarrel). However, it implies a deliberate, purposeful act of stepping in.
'Interference' is almost always negative, implying an unwanted or obstructive intrusion. 'Intervention' is more neutral; it can be positive, negative, or neutral depending on perspective and outcome (e.g., a life-saving medical intervention).
Yes, it is commonly used as a countable noun. You can have 'an intervention', 'several interventions', or 'government interventions'.
It is an idiomatic expression referring to a miraculous event attributed to the direct action of a deity or god, often believed to change the course of events.
Collections
Part of a collection
Global Issues
B2 · 47 words · Vocabulary for discussing world problems and politics.
Explore