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
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.
Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani recently lauded the interception rate as "exceeding expectations".
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 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
Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery was partially closed External link after being hit by debris following the interception of two drones, Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a source at the Ministry of Energy.
From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026
On Saturday, officials said debris from an "aerial interception" caused a fire in a berth at the port, which is the world's ninth busiest.
From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026
It was destined for an interception, but the El Paso defensive back mistimed.
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.
