Interfere

To become involved in a situation where you are not wanted or needed, often causing problems or making it difficult for others to act or progress., To prevent something from happening or to prevent someone from doing something., To affect or influence something, often in a way that hinders or obstructs its normal functioning.

Interfere - Meanings

To become involved in a situation where you are not wanted or needed, often causing problems or making it difficult for others to act or progress.

Example: Please don't interfere in our family matters.

Usage: formalContext: family or personal relationships

Note: Can imply a negative impact on the situation.

To prevent something from happening or to prevent someone from doing something.

Example: The bad weather interfered with our travel plans.

Usage: neutralContext: travel, schedules, or events

Note: Can refer to external factors causing disruption.

To affect or influence something, often in a way that hinders or obstructs its normal functioning.

Example: The new construction interferes with the view from our window.

Usage: neutralContext: environmental or physical obstructions

Note: Can refer to physical objects blocking or disrupting something.

Interfere's synonyms

meddle

To interfere in something that is not one's concern or business.

Example: Please don't meddle in my personal affairs.

Note: Meddle often implies unwanted or unnecessary involvement in someone else's affairs.

intrude

To come or go in without permission or welcome.

Example: I'm sorry to intrude, but I need to ask you a question.

Note: Intrude suggests entering a situation or space where one is not invited or welcome.

intervene

To become involved in a situation in order to improve or alter the outcome.

Example: The teacher had to intervene to stop the argument between the students.

Note: Intervene often implies stepping in to prevent or resolve a conflict or issue.

interpose

To place or come between two things or people.

Example: He interposed himself between the two arguing parties.

Note: Interpose specifically refers to inserting oneself between two entities or individuals.

obtrude

To thrust oneself or one's opinions upon others.

Example: Her unwelcome comments obtruded into the conversation.

Note: Obtrude carries a connotation of imposing oneself or one's ideas on others without invitation.

Interfere expressions, common phrases

meddle in

To interfere or intervene in someone else's business or affairs without being asked or wanted.

Example: She always meddles in other people's affairs.

Note: This phrase emphasizes unwanted involvement in someone else's matters.

stick one's nose in

To involve oneself in a situation without being asked or needed.

Example: I wish he wouldn't stick his nose in where it doesn't belong.

Note: It implies intruding into a situation that one is not a part of.

butt in

To interrupt or intrude into a conversation or situation without being invited or needed.

Example: I was trying to have a conversation, but he kept butting in.

Note: It specifically refers to interrupting a conversation or interaction.

interfere with

To disturb, hinder, or obstruct something or someone.

Example: Please don't interfere with my work; I need to focus.

Note: It focuses on disrupting or obstructing a process or activity.

get in the way

To obstruct or hinder progress or success.

Example: Don't let your emotions get in the way of making a rational decision.

Note: It emphasizes hindering progress rather than just intervention.

step in

To intervene or get involved in a situation to help or take control.

Example: I had to step in and resolve the conflict between my friends.

Note: It implies taking action to resolve a situation rather than just interfering.

poke one's nose in

To involve oneself in matters or situations that don't concern oneself.

Example: Why do you always have to poke your nose in where it's not wanted?

Note: It conveys unwanted intrusion into matters that are not one's business.

Interfere everyday (slang) expressions

interlope

To intrude or intervene without permission or invitation.

Example: Stop trying to interlope in our conversation.

Note: Interlope has a more formal and old-fashioned connotation compared to 'interfere'.

interject

To interrupt a conversation or discussion with a comment or remark.

Example: I hate when people interject in the middle of my stories.

Note: Interject is more specific to interrupting with a comment rather than interfering broadly.

nose in

To involve oneself in matters that do not concern one, often in a nosy or intrusive way.

Example: She always has to stick her nose in everyone's business.

Note: Nose in implies being overly curious or intrusive in others' affairs, adding a sense of nosiness to interfering, compared to 'interfere'.

Interfere - Examples

The noise from the construction site is interfering with my concentration.

The government should not interfere with the freedom of the press.

Don't let your personal feelings interfere with your professional judgment.

Interfere grammar

Interfere - Verb (Verb) / Verb, base form (Verb, base form)

Lemma: interfere

Conjugations

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): interfered

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): interfering

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): interferes

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): interfere

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): interfere

Syllabification and Stress

interfere Contains 3 syllables: in • ter • fere

Phonetic transcription: ˌin-tər-ˈfir

in ter fere , ˌin tər ˈfir (The red syllable is stressed)

Interfere - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

interfere: ~ 3900 (Common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

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