What does "intern" mean?
A person who is interned, forcibly or voluntarily.
Intern
/ɪnˈtɝn/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who is interned, forcibly or voluntarily.
- Grammar: intern is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: addressee, allopath, allopathist, apprentice.
- Useful contrasts: attending, employ, hire.
- Usage evidence: The intern died after working for 72 hours without sleep.
How to use "intern"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "intern" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "intern" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "intern" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "intern" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "intern" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "addressee" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "intern", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who is interned, forcibly or voluntarily.
- 2 A student or recent graduate who works in order to gain experience in their chosen field.
"Students know that working as an intern can provide contacts and all-important experience in their chosen fields. And last year, 26 percent of graduates hired by companies had worked as interns, compared with 9 percent the year before."
- 3 an advanced student or graduate in medicine gaining supervised practical experience wordnet
- 4 A medical student or recent graduate working in a hospital as a final part of medical training.
Verb
- 1 To imprison somebody, usually without trial. transitive
"The US government interned thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II."
- 2 To work as an intern, usually with little or no pay or other legal prerogatives of employment, and for the purpose of furthering a program of education. intransitive
"I'll be interning at Universal Studios this summer."
- 3 work as an intern wordnet
- 4 To imprison somebody, usually without trial.; To confine or hold (foreign military personnel who stray into the state's territory) within prescribed limits during wartime. transitive
"The Swiss government interned the Italian soldiers who had strayed onto Swiss territory."
- 5 deprive of freedom wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To internalize. transitive
"Strings are automatically interned if they are assigned to a literal string within code."
Adjective
- 1 Internal. archaic
"Man was made after Gods image, which must be understood of the intern graces of the Soule"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The intern died after working for 72 hours without sleep."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "intern"?
Common synonyms include: addressee, allopath, allopathist, apprentice, apprentice teacher, artist-in-residence.
How do you use "intern" in a sentence?
The intern died after working for 72 hours without sleep.
How do you pronounce "intern"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈtɝn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French interner, from interne (“inner, internal”), from Latin internus (“within, internal”), compare Etymology 2.
Etymology 2
From French interne (“inner, internal”), from Latin internus (“within, internal”), from inter (“between”); compare Etymology 1.