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
Greece has dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to the Paphos air base, and its frigates Kimon and Psara are already patrolling off Cyprus, tasked with intercepting any missiles or drones.
—
Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
More major energy infrastructure was threatened over the weekend, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying drones heading to the 1-million barrel a day Shaybah oil field.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Air defenses also detected 117 drones, intercepting 113 of them while four fell within the country’s territory.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Israel’s air defense system intercepting Iranian attacks, but some still getting through, like here in the city of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem.
—ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
However, the situation remains fluid as the conflict continues to widen — with the US sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka and NATO forces intercepting an Iranian missile headed for Turkey.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The change in priorities came as the war expanded further beyond Iran’s borders, with NATO forces intercepting a missile in Turkey, Azerbaijan accusing Tehran of firing a drone at its biggest airport, and Gulf capitals again coming under attack.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Alternative means of defending against drone attacks—such as lasers—could bring down the cost of intercepting a drone from millions of dollars to a few bucks.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank said they were largely unfazed as war erupted Saturday, barely pausing as booms echoed across the sky from Israel’s Iron Dome intercepting missiles overhead.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
More major energy infrastructure was threatened over the weekend, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying drones heading to the 1-million barrel a day Shaybah oil field.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Air defenses also detected 117 drones, intercepting 113 of them while four fell within the country’s territory.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Israel’s air defense system intercepting Iranian attacks, but some still getting through, like here in the city of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem.
—ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
However, the situation remains fluid as the conflict continues to widen — with the US sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka and NATO forces intercepting an Iranian missile headed for Turkey.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The change in priorities came as the war expanded further beyond Iran’s borders, with NATO forces intercepting a missile in Turkey, Azerbaijan accusing Tehran of firing a drone at its biggest airport, and Gulf capitals again coming under attack.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Alternative means of defending against drone attacks—such as lasers—could bring down the cost of intercepting a drone from millions of dollars to a few bucks.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank said they were largely unfazed as war erupted Saturday, barely pausing as booms echoed across the sky from Israel’s Iron Dome intercepting missiles overhead.
—Claudia Ciobanu, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intercepting
Verb
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The news led Deadline to pose the question of whether happenstance means Cannes might struggle to add headline-grabbing movies this year, with several other blockbusters unlikely to screen there.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
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Video of that incident shows Peters grabbing the other woman and shoving her into the center of a hallway.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Israeli military later posted a second message in Farsi, noting the head of Iran's judiciary was at the rally and criticizing Iran for blocking many from seeing their warning, as authorities in Iran have almost completely shut down internet access.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
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Ili New York Mini Crossbody Bag This fashion-forward option is made from genuine leather with RFID-blocking pockets.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then be sure to check out our collection of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography, along with our beginners guide to capturing the glowing band of the Milky Way with a DSLR camera.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
15 Mar. 2026
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The film unfolds through poetic and carefully composed images of the girls journeying through the mountainous landscape – an environment that reflects the girls’ inner world, according to Chen, capturing that fragile moment before childhood gives way to adulthood.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The news came just one week into the blockbuster trial, catching numerous parties off guard, including the judge overseeing the case and even one of the government’s own lead prosecutors.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
10 Mar. 2026
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The trails are open each year from April 1 - 30, and while the blooms are beautiful throughout the month, there’s something truly magical about catching them at their peak.—
Abby Price,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intercepting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intercepting. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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