interception
Americannoun
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an act or instance of intercepting.
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the state or fact of being intercepted.
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Military.
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the engaging of an enemy force in an attempt to hinder or prevent it from carrying out its mission.
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the monitoring of enemy radio transmission to obtain information.
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Etymology
Origin of interception
First recorded in 1590–1600, interception is from the Latin word interceptiōn- (stem of interceptiō ). See intercept, -ion
Explanation
Interception is blocking or stopping something from reaching its intended destination. Your clever interception of a note passed in math class kept your crush from learning your true feelings. While you might hear about an intelligence agency's interception of secret spy messages or your sister's interception of the family's goofy dog before he knocks your grandma down, this word is most commonly used in sports. American football is all about interceptions, moments when one player grabs hold of a ball that was thrown to the opposing team: "They played a really strong defense, with three interceptions."
Vocabulary lists containing interception
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cept, capt, ceive (take, hold, seize)
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cept, capt, ceive (take, hold, seize)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Chaminade’s 38-9 win over Leilehua in Wahiawa, sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu threw two touchdown passes to Andrew Cordero while Jaxson Dillard returned an interception for a touchdown and contributed six tackles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Flying yards above the sea surface, they hide from radar and complicate interception.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Duazon operation follows the interception of six cargo boxes at Roberts International Airport last month after security officers detected irregularities during screening.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Chinese defense publications and procurement activity indicate a multilayered approach that combines radar, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare, and AI-driven interception — structurally similar to the Western model but developed independently.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
When Terrell throws a fourth-quarter interception, the Bellmont football team ends up finishing 2-6 for the season, so they don’t make the playoffs.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
