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.
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
That of course decreases the chances of an interception, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Arnold started 22 games in 24 appearances for the Lions over the past two seasons, making 91 tackles, deflecting eight passes and making an interception.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 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
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
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.
