interception

American  

[in-ter-sep-shuhn] / ˌɪn tərˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

1. an act or instance of intercepting.

2. the state or fact of being intercepted.

3. Military.

   1. the engaging of an enemy force in an attempt to hinder or prevent it from carrying out its mission.

   2. 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

Example Sentences

And just last week, two people were injured after debris from a drone interception crashed down on three homes.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates shut down a gas field after a missile interception reportedly rained debris on it and started a fire, the Associated Press reported.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The Israeli military said it would investigate the failed interception.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026

But an exceptionally high interception rate of Iranian missiles by sophisticated air defenses helped avoid catastrophic damage, at least so far.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

A life of frequent concerns that the next interception may not work, that the trap or the drive will fail, or that the herds will not appear this season.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer