INTERPOSE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'interpose' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of interpose are intercede , interfere , intervene , and mediate . While all these words mean "to come or go between," interpose often implies no more than this. // interposed herself between him and the door

Q: When could 'intercede' be used to replace 'interpose'?

While in some cases nearly identical to interpose , intercede implies acting for an offender in begging mercy or forgiveness. // interceded on our behalf

Q: When is it sensible to use 'interfere' instead of 'interpose'?

The words interfere and interpose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, interfere implies hindering. // noise interfered with my concentration

Q: When would 'intervene' be a good substitute for 'interpose'?

The synonyms intervene and interpose are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Q: Where would 'mediate' be a reasonable alternative to 'interpose'?

The meanings of mediate and interpose largely overlap; however, mediate implies intervening between hostile factions. // mediated between the parties

interpose

verb

ˌin-tər-ˈpōz

Definition of interpose

as in to intervene

to act as a go-between for opposing sides an elder statesman who has interposed a number of times in international conflicts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to interrupt

to cause a disruption in a conversation or discussion I hate to interpose, but could you tell me what you meant by that last remark?

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to insert

to put among or between others a solid line of police in riot gear interposed itself between the trade ministers and the crowd of protesters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word interpose different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of interpose are intercede, interfere, intervene, and mediate. While all these words mean "to come or go between," interpose often implies no more than this.

interposed herself between him and the door

When could intercede be used to replace interpose?

While in some cases nearly identical to interpose, intercede implies acting for an offender in begging mercy or forgiveness.

interceded on our behalf

When is it sensible to use interfere instead of interpose?

The words interfere and interpose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, interfere implies hindering.

noise interfered with my concentration

When would intervene be a good substitute for interpose?

The synonyms intervene and interpose are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Where would mediate be a reasonable alternative to interpose?

The meanings of mediate and interpose largely overlap; however, mediate implies intervening between hostile factions.

mediated between the parties

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of interpose Language, being a product of rationality, lacks the capacity to interpose itself. — Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 13 June 2026 Peasant growers’ resistance to these operations fueled the Shining Path insurgency by providing recruits and creating an opening for the guerrillas to interpose themselves between the farmers and the police. — Michelle D. Paranzino, The Conversation, 11 June 2026 Would the court have come out the same way, or would suddenly interposing a third-party sale have changed their analysis? — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026 An electrolyte—commonly a polymer or ceramic—interposed between the fuel and oxidizer helps shuttle ions within the fuel cell. — IEEE Spectrum, 16 May 2016 See All Example Sentences for interpose

Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpose

Verb

The judges pressed federal lawyers on whether the request violates states’ constitutional authority over elections and whether the appeals court can intervene before a lower-court ruling.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ended up intervening, the story says.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of intervene

Verb

In January 2024, a landslide above the railroad sent soil and debris crashing onto the tracks at Mariposa Point, destroying the city’s pedestrian bridge and beach trail and temporarily interrupting rail service.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
But other analysts say that crime is following a long-time downward trend that was interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of interrupt

Verb

Initially, county officials declined to open the list, citing the security threat of inserting a thumb drive of unknown origin into a government computer.

— Miles Parks, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
Bake chicken until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 25–30 minutes.

— Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of insert

Verb

Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro also warned Canada last month against interfering in the midterms.

— Arkansas Online, 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

Definition of interfere

Verb

Even the afternoon’s custom table runners, made from archival fabric by FIT Menswear students, nodded to the designer’s signature ikat print, first introduced in 1983.

— Ariel Bielsky, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
The first in the ACOTAR series, the romantasy novel introduces us to Feyre Archeron, a human woman who agrees to go live in the fairie realm of Prythian in order to save her family.

— Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of introduce

Browse Nearby Words

interpolating

interpose

interposed

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Interpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpose. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of interpose

verb

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