interception

/ˌɪntərˈsɛpʃən/

/ɪntəˈsɛpʃən/

Other forms: interceptions

Interception is blocking or stopping something from reaching its intended destination. Your clever interception of a note passed in math class kept your crush from learning your true feelings.

While you might hear about an intelligence agency's interception of secret spy messages or your sister's interception of the family's goofy dog before he knocks your grandma down, this word is most commonly used in sports. American football is all about interceptions, moments when one player grabs hold of a ball that was thrown to the opposing team: "They played a really strong defense, with three interceptions."

Definitions of interception

1. noun

   the act of preventing a person or thing from proceeding or arriving
   “he resorted to the interception of his daughter's letters”

   “he claimed that the interception of one missile by another would be impossible”

   type of:

   bar, prevention

   the act of preventing
2. noun

   (American football) the act of catching a football by a player on the opposing team
   type of:

   catch, grab, snap, snatch

   the act of catching an object with the hands