interaction

noun

in·​ter·​ac·​tion ˌin-tər-ˈak-shən How to pronounce interaction (audio)
: mutual or reciprocal action or influence
interactional adjective

Examples of interaction in a Sentence

she guessed from the friendly interaction that they were close to the other parents in the organization
Recent Examples on the Web Boettcher does not appear to be holding a stick or gun during this interaction. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Thank you for every post, tweet, edit, interaction, etc. Michaela Zee, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The images offer new insights into humpback whale interactions, including the positions the creatures may assume while mating. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 As digital natives, this younger generation is accustomed to communicating online instead of through face-to-face interactions. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Fans might ship their favorite characters based on small interactions or subtext, regardless of the media's canon, or true events. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 That interaction led to a brief argument about freedom of speech. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2024 Last fall, the purchasers of a home in Phoenix where Salah had been living had an interaction with him as one of the buyers was wearing a hat with an American flag on it, court papers say. Sam Stanton, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 Cancellation fees have become a hot-button issue—spurring everything from that unfortunate viral interaction in Boston to a steady stream of TikToks explaining, complaining about, and defending the fees. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'interaction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of interaction was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near interaction

Cite this Entry

“Interaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interaction. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

interaction

noun
in·​ter·​ac·​tion ˌint-ə-ˈrak-shən How to pronounce interaction (audio)
: the action or influence of people, groups, or things on one another
interactional
-shnəl How to pronounce interaction (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

interaction

noun
in·​ter·​ac·​tion ˌint-ə-ˈrak-shən How to pronounce interaction (audio)
: mutual or reciprocal action or influence
interaction of the heart and lungs
interactional adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on interaction

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