ENGLISH
REFERENCE

intervened

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌɪntɝˈvind// UK //ˌɪntəvˈiːnd// in·ter·vened

v. to get involved in a difficult situation to change what is happening or to help solve a problem.

v. to come between people, groups, or events to modify a process or prevent a specific outcome. Often implies an intentional interruption of a sequence of events.


SIMPLE

The teacher intervened before the two students started fighting.

CONTEXTUAL

The central bank intervened in the currency markets to prevent the local currency from losing too much value.

COMPLEX

Historians debate whether the empire would have collapsed as quickly had foreign powers not intervened in the internal succession crisis during the late fourteenth century.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is intransitive and frequently takes the preposition 'in'.

Pitfall

The police intervened the protest.The police intervened in the protest.Intervene is intransitive; you must intervene 'in' a situation rather than intervening the situation directly.

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