interview

1 of 2

noun

1
: a formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or employee)
2
a
: a meeting at which information is obtained (as by a reporter, television commentator, or pollster) from a person
b
: a report or reproduction of information so obtained
3

interview

2 of 2

verb

interviewed; interviewing; interviews
1
transitive : to question or talk with (someone) to get information : to conduct an interview with (someone)
The police are interviewing several witnesses.
was interviewed on television
Several strong candidates have been interviewed for the position.
More than 60 staff members were interviewed for the project … Nature Conservancy
Gone are the days when a language researcher had to interview subjects in a lab … Katy Steinmetz
2
intransitive : to participate in an interview for a position (such as a job)
One warm morning I arrived to interview for a job as an editorial assistant on a trade journal … Joseph Epstein

Examples of interview in a Sentence

Noun The company is holding interviews for several new jobs. a journalist conducting interviews with political leaders The interview will be shown on tonight's news.
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.
Noun
Over a year later, Hadid and Cooper do not shy away from the cameras but keep things pretty low-key in interviews and on social media. Glamour, 4 May 2025 Read on for Deadline’s interview with Danny McBride about The Righteous Gemstones finale, now available to stream on Max. DEADLINE: Tell me why a show like Righteous Gemstones was so important during this era. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 May 2025
Verb
Highlights include interviewing the CEO of Hermès, Robert Chavez on the Maison’s new flagship for Forbes.com, Valentino on his major retrospective for CR Fashion Book, and Isabel Marant for MUSE’s fashion issue. Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025 In his case, this led him to wait in Mexico for ten months before he was finally interviewed, screened, and eventually allowed in. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for interview

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French entreveue meeting, from (s')entreveer to see one another, meet, from entre- inter- + veer to see — more at view

First Known Use

Noun

1514, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of interview was in 1514

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Cite this Entry

“Interview.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interview. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

interview

noun
1
: a meeting usually face to face especially for the purpose of talking or consulting
an interview to evaluate a prospective student's qualifications
2
: a meeting at which information is obtained (as by a reporter) from a person
also : the account of such a meeting
interview verb
interviewer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on interview

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