interaction

noun

in·​ter·​ac·​tion ˌin-tər-ˈak-shən How to pronounce interaction (audio)
Synonyms of interactionnext
: 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
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.
Officers will sometimes use a felony that occurs during a traffic stop or enforcement interaction as cause to initiate a chase and utilize a PIT maneuver, but if the underlying reason for the interaction wasn’t a violent felony, the move likely shouldn’t be used, Taylor said. Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026 The report detailed concerns about Caleb Elliott's hiring, including interactions involving his father, then-athletic director Bill Elliott, and school administrators. Doug Myers, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 OpenAI acquired the open-source platform last month, just weeks after users flooded the internet with examples of interactions between the agents. Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026 The next step is to better understand how such behavior emerges from simple physical interactions. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for interaction

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of interaction was in 1832

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interaction. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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

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