How to pronounce intervene
Say it like in-ter-VEEN. Intervene has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (VEEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce intervene. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- ter
- VEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Intervene pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- terKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- VEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of intervene
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: in-tuh-VEEN.
What does intervene mean?
- get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force“Why did the U.S. not intervene earlier in WW II?”
- be placed or located between other things or extend between spaces and events“This interludes intervenes between the two movements”“Eight days intervened”
- occur between other event or between certain points of time“the war intervened between the birth of her two children”
Where does intervene come from?
Back-formation from intervention, and/or from Latin interveniō (“come between”, verb).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with intervene
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of intervene.
Questions about saying intervene
How do you pronounce intervene?
Say in-ter-VEEN. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪntɚˈvin/. In British English it is /ˌɪntəˈviːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in intervene?
Intervene has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (VEEN). Broken into parts: in · ter · VEEN.
Is intervene pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌɪntəˈviːn/ (in-tuh-VEEN).