intersect

/ˌɪntərˈsɛkt/

Say it: in-ter-SEKT

1. verb To pass or run across each other; to cross or meet at a point.
The two main highways intersect just north of the city.
2. verb To share a common area, element, or characteristic.
This is the point where my personal beliefs and my professional duties intersect.
3. verb To divide something by passing or cutting through it.
A single bike path intersects the entire park from east to west.

📖 Seen in the wild

The two roads intersect at a busy traffic light, causing frequent delays.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ intersect in a sentence

The conference brings together people from various fields where technology and art intersect.
In the novel, the lives of the two main characters intersect in the most unexpected way.
The graph shows the two functions intersect at x equals three.
His ambition and his ethics would inevitably intersect, forcing a difficult choice.
Let's meet for coffee at the cafe where Broad Street and High Street intersect.
The search patterns of the two rescue teams are designed to intersect several times.
Her work lies at the place where history and political science intersect.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

cross meet overlap converge bisect crisscross traverse

cross · a more common and general term, often implying a simple passing over.

meet · suggests coming together at a point but not necessarily passing through.

overlap · emphasizes sharing a common area or set of characteristics, not just a line or point.

converge · implies moving toward a single point from different directions.

Opposites: parallel, diverge, separate, avoid

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'intersect' cuts right to its meaning. It comes from the Latin 'intersectus', which is formed from 'inter' meaning 'between' and 'secare' meaning 'to cut'. So, at its root, to intersect is literally 'to cut between' something.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

lines intersectpaths intersectinterests intersectintersect at a pointwhere two roads intersectintersect with each other

'Intersect' is used for both literal, geometric crossings (roads, lines) and figurative ones (ideas, cultures). It is slightly more formal and technical than its common synonym 'cross'. While 'intersect' implies meeting at a point or line, the word 'overlap' is better when you mean that two things share a larger common area or set of features.

Word family: intersection, intersecting

💬 Quick answers

What does intersect mean?

It means for two or more things, like lines or roads, to cross over each other. Figuratively, it means for abstract concepts, like ideas or interests, to share common elements.

What's the difference between 'intersect' and 'cross'?

'Intersect' is often more formal or technical and can apply to abstract ideas. 'Cross' is more common in everyday language and usually refers to physical things passing over one another.

What is the noun for 'intersect'?

The noun form is 'intersection,' which refers to the point or place where things meet, such as a street intersection or the intersection of two sets in mathematics.

Can ideas intersect?

Yes, this is a common figurative use of the word. It means that different ideas, fields of study, or personal interests have shared characteristics or areas of connection.

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