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interfere

verb
in·​ter·​fere | \ ËŒin-tÉ™r-ˈfir How to pronounce interfere (audio) , ËŒin-tÉ™-\
interfered; interfering

Definition of interfere

intransitive verb

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

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Other Words from interfere

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

 Aspirin interferes with the formation of blood clots, and can be used to prevent them in the arteries of the heart or the brain. — Hannah Fry, The New Yorker, "What Statistics Can and Can’t Tell Us About Ourselves," 2 Sep. 2019 However, worsening conditions and heavy traffic could interfere with some of them as Dorian closes in. — Leigh Morgan, al, "Hurricane Dorian 2019: Watch Dorian approach the Bahamas and Florida on these webcams," 1 Sep. 2019 More parking and more people driving in a particular area would interfere with Minneapolis’ plan to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2040. — Sam Stensgaard / Roseville Area High School, Twin Cities, "ThreeSixty Journalism: Our Streets Minneapolis gives communities a lift," 31 Aug. 2019 But the infrared light from the sun, Earth, and even the moon could interfere with the observatory's sensitive instruments, like the Near InfraRed Spectrograph, which will function on a wavelength range of 0.6 to 5 microns. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "In a Major Milestone, the James Webb Space Telescope Is Whole at Last," 29 Aug. 2019 Swift’s music is all about the ways that society and technology intersect (and often interfere) with old-fashioned romance. — Mikael Wood, chicagotribune.com, "For her new album, ‘Lover,’ Taylor Swift has embraced streaming. But is it too late?," 22 Aug. 2019 Further, high doses of biotin can interfere with some blood tests, especially in older patients and patients with a history of heart disease. — Ivana Rihter, Allure, "The Complete Guide to Hair Loss for Women," 22 Aug. 2019 The blind spots would not interfere significantly with the animals’ general vision or their ability to interact with each other. — Alison Abbott, Science | AAAS, "Italian blindness researchers planning monkey studies threatened after health ministry releases names," 21 Aug. 2019 Two of the people who allegedly tried to interfere with police were also taken into custody. — John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston police recover three firearms while patrolling near scene of recent gun violence," 9 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'interfere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of interfere

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for interfere

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

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More Definitions for interfere

interfere

verb
How to pronounce interfere (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of interfere

: to become involved in the activities and concerns of other people when your involvement is not wanted

See the full definition for interfere in the English Language Learners Dictionary

interfere

verb
in·​ter·​fere | \ ËŒin-tÉ™r-ˈfir How to pronounce interfere (audio) \
interfered; interfering

Kids Definition of interfere

1 : to get in the way of as an obstacle Hills interfere with the radio signal.
2 : to become involved in the concerns of others when such involvement is not wanted Stop interfering in my private matters.

interfere

intransitive verb
in·​ter·​fere | \ ËŒint-É™(r)-ˈfi(É™)r How to pronounce interfere (audio) \
interfered; interfering

Medical Definition of interfere

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

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