interference

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Computing

n. extra noise or a bad connection that stops a radio, TV, or phone from working clearly.

n. the disruption of a transmitted signal by atmospheric noise, unwanted signals, or electrical disturbances.

“There is too much interference on the radio because of the storm.”

“The technician explained that the proximity of the high-voltage cables was causing significant electromagnetic interference with the server equipment.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. what happens when two waves (like light or sound) meet and change each other.

n. the phenomenon in which two or more waves superimpose to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude.

“The colorful patterns on the soap bubble are caused by light interference.”

“The experiment demonstrated constructive interference, where the peaks of two light waves aligned to create a much brighter band on the screen.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Sports

n. an unfair move in sports where a player blocks an opponent illegally.

n. the illegal obstruction of an opponent's progress or ability to play the ball.

“The referee called a penalty for interference after the player blocked the runner.”

“The defender was penalized for pass interference after making contact with the receiver before the ball had arrived.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic

n. when the rules of your first language make you make mistakes in a new language.

n. the effect of a learner's first language on the production of a second language, often leading to errors in syntax or pronunciation.

“His mistake with the verb was a clear case of interference from his native French.”

“Linguistic interference often occurs when a student applies the grammatical structures of their mother tongue to a target language with different syntactic rules.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law American English · Technical · Formal

n. a legal process to decide who had an idea first when two people apply for the same patent.

n. an administrative proceeding to determine which of multiple applicants is entitled to a patent for the same invention.

“The two tech companies entered an interference proceeding to see who owned the software code.”

“The patent office initiated an interference to resolve the priority dispute between the two rival research teams claiming the same chemical discovery.”