intercept

American  

[in-ter-sept, in-ter-sept] / ˌɪn tərˈsɛpt, ˈɪn tərˌsɛpt /

verb (used with object)

intercepts, present (3rd person singular) intercepted, past participle, past intercepting present participle

1. to take, seize, or halt (someone or something on the way from one place to another); cut off from an intended destination.

   to intercept a messenger.

2. to see or overhear (a message, transmission, etc., meant for another).

   We intercepted the enemy's battle plan.

3. to stop or check (passage, travel, etc.).

   to intercept the traitor's escape.

4. Sports. to take possession of (a ball or puck) during an attempted pass by an opposing team.

5. to stop or interrupt the course, progress, or transmission of.

6. to destroy or disperse (enemy aircraft or a missile or missiles) in the air on the way to a target.

7. to stop the natural course of (light, water, etc.).

8. Mathematics. to mark off or include, as between two points or lines.

9. to intersect.

10. Obsolete. to prevent or cut off the operation or effect of.

11. Obsolete. to cut off from access, sight, etc.

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noun

1. an interception.

2. Mathematics.

   1. an intercepted segment of a line.

   2. (in a coordinate system) the distance from the origin to the point at which a curve or line intersects an axis.

intercept British  

verb

1. to stop, deflect, or seize on the way from one place to another; prevent from arriving or proceeding

2. sport to seize or cut off (a pass) on its way from one opponent to another

3. maths to cut off, mark off, or bound (some part of a line, curve, plane, or surface)

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noun

1. maths

   1. a point at which two figures intersect

   2. the distance from the origin to the point at which a line, curve, or surface cuts a coordinate axis

   3. an intercepted segment

2. sport the act of intercepting an opponent's pass

intercept Scientific  

/ ĭn′tər-sĕpt′ /

1. In a Cartesian coordinate system, the coordinate of a point at which a line, curve, or surface intersects a coordinate axis. If a curve intersects the x-axis at (4,0), then 4 is the curve's x-intercept; if the curve intersects the y-axis at (0,2), then 2 is its y-intercept.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interception
  noun
• interceptive
  adjective
• nonintercepting
  adjective
• noninterceptive
  adjective
• unintercepted
  adjective
• unintercepting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• intercepting
  present
• intercepted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• intercept
  simple
• intercepts
  simple
• have intercepted
  perfect
• has intercepted
  perfect
• am intercepting
  progressive
• are intercepting
  progressive
• is intercepting
  progressive
• have been intercepting
  perfect progressive
• has been intercepting
  perfect progressive

Past

• intercepted
  simple
• had intercepted
  perfect
• was intercepting
  progressive
• were intercepting
  progressive
• had been intercepting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will intercept
  simple
• will have intercepted
  perfect
• will be intercepting
  progressive
• will have been intercepting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of intercept

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin interceptus, past participle of intercipere “to intercept,” equivalent to inter- “between, among, together” + -cep- (combining form of cap-, stem of capere “to take”) + -tus past participle suffix; see inter-; cf. incipient

Explanation

When you intercept a pass in football, you grab the ball that your opponent had thrown to a member of his own team. To intercept is to stop something from reaching its intended destination. If a national intelligence agency intercepts a telephone call being sent from one terrorist cell to another, they stop the message and also learn a bit about what's going on in the terrorist world. If you're planning a surprise party for your friend and she arrives a half hour early, you might run to intercept her while everyone rushes to hide.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

intercept intercepts intercepted intercepting

It would see Royal Navy vessels intercept all migrant boats in the Channel as part of a humanitarian response.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Ukraine's air force said it managed to intercept 55 missiles and 265 drones launched by Moscow.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Also used was a newer, more sophisticated system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which has a longer range and higher intercept altitudes than the older Patriot.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

The U.S. has used jet fighters, drones, and attack helicopters flying over the Strait to intercept Iranian weapons and boats before they can hit ships sailing along the Omani shore.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

I shall have to intercept them before they arrive at the house, so I can fill them in on the details of our scheme . . . but however shall I manage it?”

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

A top FBI official recently revealed that the bureau does have the authority to make such intercepts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

It now intercepts a vast proportion of drones and missiles – although Russia often fires them in such great numbers they overwhelmed air defences and many do get through.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

SkyFall’s P1-Sun intercepts other drones, like Russia’s versions of Iran’s Shahed drones.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

At the upper tier is the Arrow 3, which intercepts long-range ballistic missiles that leave the Earth’s atmosphere and is among the best antimissile munitions in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026

When Elizebeth and her team broke the intercepts, they turned out to be messages from spies.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

A recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling put some limits on the government’s ability to immediately send back migrants intercepted at sea, though legal experts told Reuters that this does not prevent their eventual expulsion.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

A senior Jordanian government official said five missiles were intercepted in Jordan’s eastern desert and caused no injuries or material damage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

All missiles were successfully intercepted, according to Centcom.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Bennett’s deep pass for Adams along the left sideline was tipped by new cornerback Jaylen Watson and intercepted by safety Kamren Kinchens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Between October 6 and 8 Alice and Nellie had written at least three letters that Holmes had intercepted.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

On eight of the last 14 days, Jordan’s military has reported on its website intercepting missiles or drones fired from Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The Bliksem EXO system is designed to close a gap in European defenses by intercepting medium- and intermediate-range missiles in space.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

In “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, threat actors are intercepting and storing massive volumes of encrypted data, which they intend to decode as soon as more mature quantum technology becomes available.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

US Central Command later released footage it said showed a naval vessel intercepting a cargo ship.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

“We keep intercepting British accents on their radio messages too.”

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• ambush
• arrest
• block
• catch
• cut off
• deflect
• hijack
• prevent
• seize
• stop
• take away