What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
intervene
Example
The police had to intervene to stop the fight. [intervene: verb]
Example
The teacher intervened to help the struggling student. [intervened: past tense]
interrupt
Example
Please don't interrupt me while I'm speaking. [interrupt: verb]
Example
The power outage interrupted our movie night. [interrupted: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Interrupt is more commonly used than intervene in everyday language. Interrupt is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while intervene is less common and refers to more specific situations.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between intervene and interrupt?
Both intervene and interrupt can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, intervene may be more formal in certain situations, such as legal or diplomatic contexts, while interrupt may be more informal in casual conversations.
