as in grabbing
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
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Recent Examples of intercepting
In neither case did the available systems succeed in intercepting the trajectory toward violence.
—
Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates engaged multiple aerial threats Monday, intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran, officials said.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
The costs of intercepting could also balloon if targets are engaged over populated areas, with drones, defensive munitions and falling debris all posing risks to people and property on the ground.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Demand for defense tools in a tense geopolitical climate is creating a massive opportunity for space firms, especially those making satellites and tools capable of tracking and intercepting rockets at closer range.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Both sides have been intercepting vessels in tit-for-tat brinkmanship in the run-up to a possible second round of direct peace talks in Pakistan.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Brown, who struggled as a shooter early in the game, forced turnovers on consecutive Sixers possessions during that stretch, first drawing an offensive foul on Andre Drummond and then intercepting a Paul George pass.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Hochstein and co-defendant Jody Glidden face charges of unlawfully intercepting oral statements.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has released footage of fighter jets honing their skills at intercepting Russian and Chinese bombers over Alaska.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates engaged multiple aerial threats Monday, intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran, officials said.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
The costs of intercepting could also balloon if targets are engaged over populated areas, with drones, defensive munitions and falling debris all posing risks to people and property on the ground.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Demand for defense tools in a tense geopolitical climate is creating a massive opportunity for space firms, especially those making satellites and tools capable of tracking and intercepting rockets at closer range.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Both sides have been intercepting vessels in tit-for-tat brinkmanship in the run-up to a possible second round of direct peace talks in Pakistan.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Brown, who struggled as a shooter early in the game, forced turnovers on consecutive Sixers possessions during that stretch, first drawing an offensive foul on Andre Drummond and then intercepting a Paul George pass.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Hochstein and co-defendant Jody Glidden face charges of unlawfully intercepting oral statements.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has released footage of fighter jets honing their skills at intercepting Russian and Chinese bombers over Alaska.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intercepting
Verb
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The driver who picked up the goods told FT that grabbing items in the location takes roughly five minutes, while the same trip to a Walmart Supercenter store could take 25 minutes.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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The Limitless Lash Mascara is especially worth grabbing while it’s marked down.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The affidavit states that Dunmars parked in front of Hayes’ vehicle, partially blocking her path, before a physical fight allegedly broke out involving Dunmars’ daughter and two of Hayes’ daughters.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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The big guy in the doorway stretched out his arms, his hands gripping both sides of the knotty pine planks on either side of the door frame, his body filling the space, blocking our way out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
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For these artisans of light, the process was less about capturing the moment than crafting an image.—
Robb Rice,
Robb Report,
10 May 2026
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Israel has since carried out hundreds of airstrikes and launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, capturing dozens of towns and villages along the border.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Abdoler echoed that, noting there is a much higher risk of catching other kinds of viruses, like influenza, while sailing.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Investigators worked to find and bring Austin into custody, catching a break by digging into his social media accounts.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intercepting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intercepting. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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