was intercepted with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was intercepted with" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when trying to convey that something was interrupted or stopped by another action or event. Example: "The message was intercepted with a signal from the enemy, causing confusion among the troops."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Then, Kidd's pass was intercepted with 16 seconds left.

The New York Times - Sports

But Johnson was intercepted with just over two minutes left by safety Izelle Reese.

The New York Times - Sports

At 2 30 a.m. a boat was intercepted with 25 people.

The New York Times

Nick Evans had just extended Quins' lead to 10 and, from the restart, Lamb's pass on the Quins 22 was intercepted with ease by Marchant who showed great pace to beat Te'o, among others, to the line.

The Guardian - Sport

The Giants (5-3) won their third straight game, holding off the Eagles (4-4 after a 3-0 stafterafter Manning was intercepted with less than two minutes to go.

The Guardian - Sport

Police have said Fikri failed to stopped for officers and was intercepted with the contraband fish, at which point a "decision was taken to destroy it", but they do not detail how the crusher started.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Over the next four days, more packages were intercepted, with the same packing style but all apparently sent from different addresses, with different non-existent people listed as the sender.

The Guardian - Tech

The boats, carrying 28 crew members, were intercepted with a large amount of diving gear and what was thought to be illegally caught bêche-de-mer, or sea cucumbers, near Lockhart River in Cape York at the weekend.

The Guardian

"A black Tuesday, tragic, in which the victims were intercepted with treachery and advantage," said Erick Gutiérrez in his opening statement, gesturing with his hands as he paced brusquely in front of a projector.

The New York Times

They follow two Panem addresses from President Snow (Donald Sutherland) that have been released in recent weeks, one going without a hitch and the other being intercepted with a message from District 13.

Independent

In partnership with advertiser Zappos.com, casual game players across the NeoEdge Network were intercepted with a survey request after game play.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone being found with something after an interception, consider using phrases like "was stopped and found with" or "was caught carrying" for better accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "was intercepted with" when you mean "was intercepted by". The word "with" should describe what was found on the person or object intercepted, not what did the intercepting. Focus on using "by" to indicate the intercepting entity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was intercepted with" functions as a passive construction where something or someone is stopped, and the word "with" attempts to describe the means, agent, or accompaniment during the interception. However, this construction is grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI explains that this phrase is incorrect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was intercepted with" is grammatically questionable and not preferred in standard English. While it appears in various sources, it's best to use alternatives like "was intercepted by" or rephrase the sentence for clarity. Ludwig AI indicates that the grammatically correct expression is "was intercepted by". When describing someone being caught with something, consider "was stopped and found with" or "was caught carrying". Always prioritize grammatical accuracy, particularly in formal writing. Using "by" instead of "with" will generally lead to a clearer and more grammatically sound sentence. This issue is further exemplified by the diversity of contexts where the expression is present.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was intercepted by

Indicates the agent or entity that performed the interception, providing a clearer grammatical structure.

was caught carrying

Specifies that someone was found in possession of something while being intercepted.

was stopped and found with

Highlights both the act of being stopped and the subsequent discovery of something.

was apprehended with

Emphasizes the act of being arrested or seized along with something.

was seized with

Focuses on the confiscation of something during an interception.

had been intercepted

Indicates a completed action of interception, without specifying what it was intercepted with.

was halted and searched

Highlights the stopping and subsequent search of a person or vehicle.

was disrupted by

Indicates an interruption or obstruction, rather than a physical interception.

was interfered with

Suggests an act of meddling or obstruction, differing from direct interception.

was obstructed by

Indicates a hindrance or blockage, moving away from the original meaning of interception.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use "intercepted" in a sentence?

Use "intercepted by" to indicate who or what did the intercepting. For example, "The message "was intercepted by" enemy forces."

Is it grammatically correct to say "was intercepted with"?

According to standard English grammar, it's generally incorrect. "Was intercepted by" is the preferred construction to indicate the agent doing the intercepting.

What can I say instead of "was intercepted with" to describe someone caught with something?

You could say "was caught carrying", "was stopped and found with", or "was apprehended with" depending on the context.

How does the meaning change if I use "was intercepted by" instead of "was intercepted with"?

Using "was intercepted by" indicates the agent or entity that did the intercepting, while "was intercepted with" is grammatically questionable and can lead to confusion.