interference

noun

ˌin-tər-ˈfir-ən(t)s How to pronounce interference (audio)
Definition of interferencenext
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult without the interference of the rain, we could have made good time on that road trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 interference However, after two penalties — an ineligible man downfield and offensive pass interference — Klubnik was sacked by Trace Ford on third down following a bad snap. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026 The go-ahead score was set up by a 42-yard pass interference penalty against Tamon Lymum on Pettis that gave the Bills the ball at the 7. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 On a last ditch effort, Edgewater pass is intercepted but a flag is thrown for a passing interference penalty on TFA. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 While independence allows central bankers to make decisions without short-term political interference from presidents wanting to juice the economy, credible external scrutiny helps provide the democratic legitimacy for that independence. — Paul Wachtel, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for interference
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interference
  1. obstacle
  2. obstruction
  3. hurdle
  4. embarrassment
  5. barrier
Noun
  • Both benefit from improved navigation, apparently able to avoid cables and other obstacles as small as 2mm in size, as well as transparent objects like mirrors or glass.
    — Dominic Preston, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The 340-pound ball is just soft enough to bounce lightly over bumpy obstacles, but its slight overpressure keeps it relatively firm.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of obstacle
Noun
  • Investigators accused him of obstruction of justice, unlawful contracting and, among other things, claiming $127,630 in expenses linked to fictitious missions and plane tickets for nearly a dozen trips.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The prosecutor, Matthew Evans, was fired on Thursday and is now under investigation for alleged obstruction of a grand jury probe, the person said.
    — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of obstruction
Noun
  • But Oxley, writing in a commentary, cautioned that there are logistical hurdles and said the value of Venezuela’s reserves may have been exaggerated under former President Hugo Chavez.
    — Collin Binkley, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Secondly, insurance and safety inspections remain critical hurdles.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurdle
Noun
  • He’s particularly drawn to episodes that are discomforting for his countrymen—the Dreyfus Affair, and, a recent obsession, French accommodation in Nazi rule during the Occupation, a national embarrassment that was long passed over in silence.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Just the latest embarrassment from the worst president in any of our lifetimes.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassment
Noun
  • The two sides were also in touch on monitoring a barrier lake that risks flooding and imperiling rescue workers.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The lab behind the glass barrier is a laboratory automation installation, built around a conveyor system.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrier

Browse Nearby Words

interfered (with)
interference
interferences
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interference.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interference. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on interference

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about interference

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