intercept

/ɪntəˈsɛpt/

//ɪntəˈsɛpt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"intercept" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intercept” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,542 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#13,542
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

intercept vs interest
78% similar
intercept vs internet
78% similar
intercept vs interrupt
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for intercept
PropertyValue
Headwordintercept
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪntəˈsɛpt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,542
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intercept” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). intercept lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for intercept is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪntəˈsɛpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,542 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for intercept, with forms such as "inetrcept", "inntercept", and "intecrept". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "interest", "internet", "interrupt", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin interceptum, past participle of intercipiō. The correct English form is intercept, spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion).
  2. 2
    To gain possession of (the ball) in a ball game.
  3. 3
    To gain possession of (the ball) in a ball game.
  4. 4
    To take or comprehend between.
  5. 5
    To perform an aeronautical action in which a fighter approaches a suspicious aircraft to escort it away from a prohibited area, or approaches an enemy aircraft to shoot it down.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin interceptum, past participle of intercipiō.

This word in other languages

interceptar(Español)intercepter(Français)abfangen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetrcept,inntercept,intecrept,interccept,interceppt,interceptt,intercetp,intercpet,interecpt,interrcept,intrecept,inttercept,itnercept,nitercept

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of intercept - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

inetrcept2inntercept1intecrept2interccept1interceppt1interceptt1intercetp2intercpet2
Edit distance from "intercept"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intercept"?
"intercept" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-C-E-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪntəˈsɛpt/.
What does "intercept" mean?
As a verb, "intercept" means: To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion).
What words are commonly confused with "intercept"?
"intercept" is commonly confused with "interest", "internet", "interrupt". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intercept"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intercept" is /ɪntəˈsɛpt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "intercept"?
Borrowed from Latin interceptum, past participle of intercipiō. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “intercept”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-E-R-C-E-P-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪntəˈsɛpt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “interest” - see the side-by-side comparison. intercept vs interest
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list