interception
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of stopping or catching something while it is moving from one place to another.
the act of obstructing, seizing, or diverting something before it reaches its intended destination.
Simple“The police reported the interception of a large shipment of illegal goods at the border.”
In context“Intelligence agencies confirmed the successful interception of encrypted communications between the two suspect organisations.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' followed by the object being stopped.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
in games like American football, when a player catches a pass meant for the other team.
a play in which a forward pass is caught by a defender, resulting in a change of possession.
Simple“The crowd cheered when the defender made a brilliant interception near the goal line.”
In context“The quarterback's third interception of the game proved costly, allowing the opposing team to take a decisive lead in the final quarter.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
when a fighter jet flies near another plane to stop it or force it to change direction.
a tactical manoeuvre in which an aircraft is dispatched to identify, escort, or engage an unidentified or hostile aircraft.
Simple“The air force ordered an immediate interception of the plane that entered their airspace.”
In context“The rapid interception of the unidentified drone prevented it from reaching the restricted military zone.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
when rain is caught by leaves and branches before it can hit the ground.
the process by which precipitation is caught by vegetation and evaporated before reaching the soil surface.
Simple“In thick forests, the interception of rain by the trees means the ground stays dry during light showers.”
In context“Hydrologists measured the rate of canopy interception to determine how much rainfall actually contributed to the local groundwater supply.”
“Police action has included interceptions on beaches and at sea, the UK Home Office said.”
“Of the 12 dinghies stopped so far at sea, three interceptions took place in the last two weeks.”
Borrowed from Latin interceptiō; compare French interception.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.