interfere

verb

in·​ter·​fere ˌin-tər-ˈfir How to pronounce interfere (audio)
ˌin-tə-
interfered; interfering

intransitive verb

1
: to enter into or take a part in the concerns of others
2
: to interpose in a way that hinders or impedes : come into collision or be in opposition
3
: to strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in walking or running
used especially of horses
4
: to act reciprocally so as to augment, diminish, or otherwise affect one another
used of waves
interferer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for interfere

interpose, interfere, intervene, mediate, intercede mean to come or go between.

interpose often implies no more than this.

interposed herself between him and the door

interfere implies hindering.

noise interfered with my concentration

intervene may imply an occurring in space or time between two things or a stepping in to stop a conflict.

quarreled until the manager intervened

mediate implies intervening between hostile factions.

mediated between the parties

intercede implies acting for an offender in begging mercy or forgiveness.

interceded on our behalf

Examples of interfere in a Sentence

I tried to offer advice without interfering. a strong resentment of outsiders who attempted to interfere with their traditional ways of doing things
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Neither the attorney general nor my office interfered nor influenced that process. Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024 That may be because such costs are difficult for a president to control without interfering in the free market, even as Trump hammered President Joe Biden on the issue. Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024 The Assad regime for decades interfered violently in Lebanese politics. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 10 Dec. 2024 The first season takes us through half of the generations, through births and deaths and the arrival of the Catholic Church and the Colombian government and all manner of interfering forces, some for good and some for evil. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for interfere 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enterferen, from Anglo-French (s')entreferir to strike one another, from entre- inter- + ferir to strike, from Latin ferire — more at bore

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of interfere was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near interfere

Cite this Entry

“Interfere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interfere. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

interfere

verb
in·​ter·​fere ˌint-ə(r)-ˈfi(ə)r How to pronounce interfere (audio)
interfered; interfering
1
: to come in collision or be in opposition : clash
his arrival interfered with our plans
2
: to take part in the concerns of others
don't interfere with our negotiations
3
: to act on one another
interfering light waves
interferer noun

Medical Definition

interfere

intransitive verb
in·​ter·​fere ˌint-ə(r)-ˈfi(ə)r How to pronounce interfere (audio)
interfered; interfering
1
: to strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in walking or running
used especially of horses
2
: to act reciprocally so as to augment, diminish, or otherwise affect one another
used of waves
3
: to be inconsistent with and disturb the performance of previously learned behavior

Legal Definition

interfere

intransitive verb
in·​ter·​fere
interfered; interfering
1
: to act in a way that impedes or obstructs others
2
: to enter into the concerns of others

More from Merriam-Webster on interfere

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