intervention
/ˌɪntəˈvenʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪntərˈvenʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin-tər-ˈven(t)-shən/ (ame, mw)
intervention — noun
- interventionsingular
- interventionsplural
1. an act of stepping into a difficult situation on purpose, with the goal of helpi
an act of stepping into a difficult situation on purpose, with the goal of helping or stopping things from getting worse
The teacher's early intervention helped Asher improve his reading skills in just three months.
possessive + early intervention + helped [person]
Without outside intervention, the dispute between the two companies would have gone to court.
without + outside intervention
Ramón's quick intervention prevented a small kitchen fire from spreading to the whole house.
Early intervention programs for preschool children can reduce learning difficulties later on.
- involvement
less active than intervention — can mean simply being part of something
- mediation
specifically refers to helping two sides reach an agreement; narrower than intervention
- stepping in
informal equivalent of intervention
- inaction
choosing not to intervene or take any step
文法句型
intervention in something
intervention by someone
adjective + intervention
用法筆記
This is the broadest sense and can apply to personal, social, educational, or organizational situations where someone actively steps in to help.
常見錯誤
2. a situation in which God or a higher power changes the way events unfold in the
a situation in which God or a higher power changes the way events unfold in the human world
Survivors of the flood described their narrow escape as a clear case of divine intervention.
clear case of divine intervention
The old man prayed daily for divine intervention to bring rain to his dry farmland.
prayed for divine intervention
In the ancient story, a plague ends only by divine intervention from the sky god.
Many visitors came to the shrine seeking divine intervention for their sick relatives at home.
- miracle
emphasizes the wondrous or supernatural result rather than the act of intervening
- providence
more formal; suggests God's protective guidance over time
文法句型
divine intervention
divine intervention from someone
by divine intervention
用法筆記
Almost always used with the adjective divine. May be used in both religious and literary contexts.
3. a situation where a country sends its armed forces into another nation to influe
a situation where a country sends its armed forces into another nation to influence or control what happens there
The UN Security Council voted on a resolution to authorize military intervention in the region.
authorize military intervention in [region]
Critics warned that military intervention would cause even more civilian deaths in the capital.
Neighboring countries called for international intervention after the fighting spread across the border.
The small nation firmly rejected any foreign intervention in its internal political affairs.
- invasion
stronger and more hostile; implies taking territory by force rather than stepping in to influence events
- incursion
suggests a sudden, brief entry; often used for small-scale attacks
- peacekeeping
a type of intervention aimed at maintaining peace with the consent of involved parties
- isolationism
the policy of staying out of other countries' affairs
文法句型
military intervention in [place]
intervention by [country/organization]
call for intervention
authorize intervention
用法筆記
Often used in news reports and political discussion. The preposition 'in' typically introduces the location or country affected.
常見錯誤
4. a planned meeting where family and friends confront someone about their drug or
a planned meeting where family and friends confront someone about their drug or alcohol addiction and push them to seek treatment
Dahlia's friends organized an intervention to urge her to seek help for her drinking problem.
organized an intervention to urge [person] to seek help
The addiction counselor helped Bilal's family plan an intervention for his cocaine dependency.
plan an intervention for [problem]
After the intervention, Madison finally agreed to enter a thirty-day rehabilitation program.
Sayaka refused to attend the intervention, insisting that her drug use was perfectly under control.
- confrontation
more general and often negative; intervention is a structured, supportive type of confrontation
文法句型
hold an intervention
plan an intervention
intervention for [problem]
用法筆記
This sense is especially common in American English and often involves a trained counselor. Typically used with verbs such as 'hold', 'stage', 'plan', or 'organize'.
常見錯誤
5. a conversation arranged by people close to someone to point out that the person'
a conversation arranged by people close to someone to point out that the person's actions are harmful and need to change
Manuela's coworkers arranged an intervention to discuss her repeated angry outbursts in the office.
arranged an intervention to discuss [behavior]
The school counselor suggested an intervention for the student who skipped class every day.
suggested an intervention for [person/behavior]
After several interventions from his family, Aaron finally stopped gambling away his monthly salary.
The intervention helped Zola understand how her reckless spending affected her children's future.
- talk
informal and less structured than an intervention
文法句型
hold an intervention
arrange an intervention
intervention with someone
用法筆記
Similar to the addiction sense but broader — applies to any harmful behavior such as gambling, overspending, or anger issues. Does not require a formal addiction.
6. a medical action or procedure carried out by healthcare professionals to treat o
a medical action or procedure carried out by healthcare professionals to treat or improve a health problem
The doctors recommended a surgical intervention to remove the tumor from Élise's left lung.
surgical intervention + remove [body part]
Early medical intervention can greatly improve a patient's chance of surviving a stroke.
early medical intervention + improve chance of [outcome]
Without immediate medical intervention, the infection would have spread to Pim's kidneys.
Ayesha decided against any further medical intervention and chose to receive hospice care at home.
- watchful waiting
a medical approach where doctors monitor a condition without actively treating it
文法句型
medical intervention
surgical intervention
immediate medical intervention
undergo intervention
用法筆記
Often used in healthcare discussions to distinguish between watchful waiting and active treatment. Can refer to anything from medication to surgery.