interception
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of intercepting.
-
the state or fact of being intercepted.
-
Military.
-
the engaging of an enemy force in an attempt to hinder or prevent it from carrying out its mission.
-
the monitoring of enemy radio transmission to obtain information.
-
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
cept, capt, ceive (take, hold, seize)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
All the Noise at Once
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
cept, capt, ceive (take, hold, seize)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
At halftime, Allen had only 60 passing yards with an interception and no touchdowns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Herbert was sacked five times with a fumble and an interception.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
The kingdom's civil defence agency also said "interception debris" had damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
In the waning minutes, he outplayed Josh Allen, the interplanetary Bills QB who wound up chucking a brainless interception late.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
But Winchell was only 2 of 16 passing for 42 yards and 1 interception.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
