interfere

verb

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

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

Synonyms of interfere

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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.
Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro also warned Canada last month against interfering in the midterms. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 Experts worry federal law enforcement could potentially use those false claims — or others generated this year — as pretext to try to seize ballots during the counting period, or interfere in the process in some other way. — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026 The crowds that showed up at town meetings certainly wanted to interfere, unduly or otherwise. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026 The answer is that there are some cases where quantum waves interfere constructively and give rise to a pattern familiar from classical physics. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 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

Phrases Containing interfere

Rhymes for interfere

See All Rhymes for interfere

Browse Nearby Words

interferant
interfere
interference
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interfere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interfere. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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
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