intercept

verb

ˌin-tər-ˈsept How to pronounce intercept (audio)
Definition of interceptnext
as in to grab
to stop, seize, or interrupt while in progress or on course the cat was about to hightail it out the front door when I intercepted her

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of intercept Most of the flying drones intercepted at World Cup events were backtracked by federal agents who first jammed them and then sent teams who followed signals to the operators, officials said. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 21 July 2026 Less than an hour later, Iranian ballistic missiles were intercepted above the sites. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026 It is being developed to intercept a broad spectrum of targets, including air-breathing threats, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026 Russia’s Defense Ministry separately claimed that its forces intercepted 381 drones across Russian regions, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for intercept
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intercept
  1. grab
  2. capture
  3. block
  4. catch
  5. interdict
Verb
  • Paredes was quickly on the scene, grabbing Garcia briefly by the throat and shoving him to the floor.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • If relaxing is more your speed, grab a glass of Chablis, settle into an Adirondack chair with a good book, and watch the sunlight dance across the lily pads.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • As the war to capture the Iron Throne rages on, Criston marches onward with his men, including Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), to put a stop to the Rivermen reaching King’s Landing and aiding Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy).
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026
  • The aim was to capture each country’s unique fan and football culture.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of capture
Verb
  • The Houthi blockade of the Bab-al-Mandeb strait has blocked another exit point for roughly 5 million barrels per day of Saudi oil.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • If Democrats block a stopgap bill, Thune will face plenty of problems with his fallback approach of passing a party-line spending bill to fund some of the government this fall.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of block
Verb
  • Evans avoided a charging Breakker with a backflip and tagged Dragon Lee, who was rolling until Paul interfered, allowing Breakker to catch Lee in midair with a powerslam.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • But their journey to catch up with the Rivermen proves increasingly difficult, after one of their horses gets caught in a trap.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026
Definition of catch
Verb
  • By using drones to interdict supply lines from a distance, Ukrainian forces can impose the effects of a siege without physically encircling a city, redefining how an opponent can be isolated in modern warfare.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
  • Their job was to board the trains going from Germany to Austria at random to interdict drugs, illicit money, and criminals.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of interdict

Browse Nearby Words

interceding
intercept
intercepted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intercept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intercept. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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