intervention

noun

USin-tur-VEN-shuhn/ɪntɚˈvɛnʃən/UKin-tuh-VEN-shuhn/ɪntəˈvɛnʃən/

Pluralinterventions

4 meanings of intervention

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Stepping into a situation to change or stop what is happening.
Like a referee stepping in to break up a fight.
Her quick intervention stopped the two boys from fighting.
Without some kind of intervention, the problem will only get worse.
Similarinvolvement, interference, intercession, mediation, interposition
Oppositeinaction
Note
2
nouncountable
A planned meeting where family and friends ask someone to get help for an addiction.
Like loved ones gathering to gently push someone toward getting help.
The family staged an intervention to get their brother into rehab.
After the intervention, she finally agreed to see a counselor.
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A medical treatment or procedure done to help a patient.
Like fixing a problem early, before it grows much worse.
The doctors decided that surgery was the best intervention.
Early intervention can stop the disease from spreading.
Similartreatment, therapy, procedure
Note
4
nounUScountable or uncountable
A legal request to join a court case that you were not first part of.
Like asking to join a game already in progress because the result affects you.
The company filed an intervention to join the lawsuit.
Her intervention let her defend her own interests in the case.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin "interventio", which came into English through Middle French "intervention". It is made from "intervene" plus "-tion".