intersect

verb

in·​ter·​sect ˌin-tər-ˈsekt 

intersected; intersecting; intersects

transitive verb

: to pierce or divide by passing through or across : cross

a comet intersecting earth's orbit

one line intersects another

intransitive verb

1

: to meet and cross at a point

lines intersecting at right angles

2

: to share a common area : overlap

where morality and self-interest intersect

Synonyms

• bisect
• cross
• cut

Examples of intersect in a Sentence

A dry stream bed intersects the trail in several places.

Line A intersects with line B.

The two roads intersect at the edge of town.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jones won an astonishing 28 Grammy Awards throughout his career as an arranger and producer, and his legacy intersected with those of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Lesley Gore. —Kristin McGrath, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024

The town is commissioning a study to define the boundaries of the town's right-of-way and to review and analyze intersecting roads for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle safety on three roads: Redding, Mill Plain and Sturges. —Brian Gioiele, Connecticut Post, 1 Nov. 2024

While celebrities have often been critiqued for getting involved in political discourse in ways that feel inauthentic—Beyoncé’s recent political re-engagement may be an opportunity for celebrity culture to continue intersecting with grassroots activism. —Sughnen Yongo, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Baseball’s chewing tradition may also intersect with its long history of strategic rule-breaking. —Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin intersectus, past participle of intersecare, from inter- + secare to cut — more at saw

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

intersect

verb

in·​ter·​sect ˌint-ər-ˈsekt 

1

: to divide by passing through or across : cross

one line intersecting another

2

: to meet and cross at one or more points

overlapping circles intersect at two points