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.
The government argues that district courts are expressly barred under the Immigration and Nationality Act from interfering in the execution of final removal orders, particularly under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(g). Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025 The only way McAfee wins this is if someone interferes and costs Gunther the match or Gunther beats him so violently that he gets disqualified. Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 Chimney’s fellow first responders stare in silent shock as Athena loudly berates him in the firehouse for interfering in the process, dressing him down with the same booming resonance she’s used on countless criminals. Andy Swift, TVLine, 1 May 2025 In 2019 he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice related to his bid to persuade Ukraine to interfere in the presidential election. David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interfere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interfere. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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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