Standard Lemma guide

intercept

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: ĭn'təsĕpt
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɪntəsɛpt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: ĭn'tərsĕpt
  • US: /ˈɪntɚsɛpt/
  • rhymes with -ɛpt
  • Received-Pronunciation: ĭntəsĕpt'
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪntəˈsɛpt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: ĭntərsĕpt'
  • US: /ɪntɚˈsɛpt/
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N T ER0 S EH1 P T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: IH2 N ER0 S EH1 P T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An interception of a missile.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: algebraic-geometry, geometry, mathematics, sciences

Examples

  • the y intercept

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A form of market research where consumers are intercepted and interviewed in a retail store or mall.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, marketing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The police intercepted the package of stolen goods while it was in transit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To gain possession of (the ball) in a ball game.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To gain possession of (the ball) in a ball game.

Of a defensive player: to steal a pass thrown by the opposing team, gaining possession of the ball.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: American-football, ball-games, football, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To take or comprehend between.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To perform an aeronautical action in which a fighter approaches a suspicious aircraft to escort it away from a prohibited area, or approaches an enemy aircraft to shoot it down.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the point at which a line intersects a coordinate axis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: point

11

verb

Meaning 11

seize on its way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The fighter plane was ordered to intercept an aircraft that had entered the country's airspace

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: catch, grab, take hold of

Narrower terms: cut off, cut out

12

verb

Meaning 12

tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy
  • Is this hotel room bugged?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wiretap, tap, bug

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: listen in, eavesdrop

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin interceptum, past participle of intercipiō.

Across languages

Translations

71 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 竊聽 /窃听 (qiètīng) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Finnish: sieppaus — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Italian: intercettazione — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Japanese: 傍受 (bōju) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Russian: перехва́т (perexvát) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Russian: перехва́тывание (perexvátyvanije) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Russian: прослу́шивание (proslúšivanije) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Russian: подслу́шивание (podslúšivanije) — interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call
  • Bulgarian: прихващане (prihvaštane) — interception of a missile
  • Chinese Mandarin: 迎擊 /迎击 (yíngjī) — interception of a missile
  • Finnish: torjunta — interception of a missile
  • Japanese: 迎撃 (geigeki) — interception of a missile
  • Bulgarian: отрез (otrez) — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Finnish: leikkauspisteen koordinaatti — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • German: Achsenabschnitt — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • German: Schnittpunkt — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Hungarian: tengelymetszet — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Irish: idirlíne — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Māori: haukoti — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Polish: przecięcie — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Russian: пересече́ние (peresečénije) — coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis
  • Arabic: اِعْتَرَضَ (iʕtaraḍa) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Bulgarian: преграждам (pregraždam) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Bulgarian: запречвам (zaprečvam) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Catalan: interceptar — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Chinese Mandarin: 阻止 (zǔzhǐ) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Dutch: onderscheppen — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Finnish: pysäyttää — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Finnish: torjua — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Finnish: katkaista — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Finnish: keskeyttää — to stop, deflect or divert
  • French: intercepter — to stop, deflect or divert
  • German: abfangen — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Ancient Greek: ἀπολαμβάνω (apolambánō) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Hebrew: יירט — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Japanese: 阻止する (soshi suru) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Latin: intercipiō — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Māori: rorehape — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Māori: kokoti — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Māori: haukoti — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Māori: komutu — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Polish: przechwycić — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Polish: przechwytywać — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Portuguese: interceptar — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Quechua: hark'ay — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Russian: заде́рживать (zadérživatʹ) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Russian: задержа́ть (zaderžátʹ) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Russian: перехва́тывать (perexvátyvatʹ) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Russian: перехвати́ть (perexvatítʹ) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Serbo-Croatian: prèsresti — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Serbo-Croatian: prèsretati — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Thai: สกัดกั้น — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Ukrainian: перехо́плювати (perexópljuvaty) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Ukrainian: перехопи́ти (perexopýty) — to stop, deflect or divert
  • Arabic: اِعْتَرَضَ (iʕtaraḍa) — to gain possession of
  • Bulgarian: пресичам (presičam) — to gain possession of
  • Catalan: interceptar — to gain possession of
  • Chinese Mandarin: 截奪 /截夺 (jiéduó) — to gain possession of
  • Chinese Mandarin: 搶截 /抢截 (qiǎngjié) — to gain possession of
  • Dutch: onderscheppen — to gain possession of
  • Finnish: siepata — to gain possession of
  • Finnish: riistää — to gain possession of
  • French: intercepter — to gain possession of
  • German: abfangen — to gain possession of
  • Japanese: 奪う (ubau) — to gain possession of
  • Polish: przechwycić — to gain possession of
  • Portuguese: interceptar — to gain possession of
  • Russian: перехва́тывать (perexvátyvatʹ) — to gain possession of
  • Russian: перехвати́ть (perexvatítʹ) — to gain possession of
  • Spanish: interceptar — to gain possession of
  • Spanish: interrumpir — to gain possession of
Real reading context

intercept in complete knowledge articles