intercepting

Grabbing mid-flight

Intercepting is the present participle of intercept, used as a verb or adjective.

To intercept is to stop, catch, or seize something or someone that is in transit from one place to another.

You might intercept a pass in football, intercept a message before it reaches its intended recipient, or intercept an enemy aircraft.

The word suggests catching something mid-course: The defense intercepting that throw changed the momentum of the game.

surveillance

wiretapping

Covert phone surveillance

eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
buggingSecretly recording conversations
tappingRepeated light striking

monitoring · spying · intelligence · espionage · NSA · Stasi · signals · communications · encryption · decryption

sports

pass

Move beyond or decline

ballSpherical plaything or gala
quarterbackPassing position in football
defenseProtection against harm

turnover · catch · deflection · route · coverage · safety · cornerback · goalkeeper · midfielder · possession

military

radar

Radio-wave object detection

missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
defenseProtection against harm
aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle

enemy · airspace · scramble · sortie · patrol · fighter · drone · countermeasures · trajectory · incoming

communication

message

Transmitted communication

letterWritten symbol or message
courierDelivery person or service
dispatchSend with speed

transmission · packet · signal · relay · decode · cryptography · cipher · codebreaking · Enigma · Bletchley

Categories

footballfootball, touchdown, field goal, quarterback, end zone
interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
pursuit tacticschasing, pursuing, hot pursuit, giving chase, following
soccer techniquesfree kick, corner kick, penalty spot, goal kick, throw-in
surveillancesurveillance, CCTV, security camera, surveillance camera, surveillance cameras
listeningactive listening, attentive, listening skills, listening comprehension, focused attention

Opposites

blocking vs. allowing passage

interceptingpermitting

Giving consent or authorization

allowing · clearing · unblocking · facilitating · forwarding

capturing vs. releasing

interceptingreleasing

Allowing to escape

delivering · sending · dispatching · handing off · letting go

defensive vs. offensive action

interceptingthrowing

Propelling by arm motion

passing · transmitting · attacking · advancing · completing

Family

interception, interceptions

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G