What does "intersection" mean?
The junction of two (or more) paths, streets, highways, or other thoroughfares.
Intersection
/ˈɪntəɹˌsɛkʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The junction of two (or more) paths, streets, highways, or other thoroughfares.
- Grammar: intersection is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: crossing, overlap, access, accord.
- Useful contrasts: disjointness, no overlap, parallelism.
- Usage evidence: What's the name of this intersection?
How to use "intersection"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "intersection" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "intersection" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "intersection" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "intersection" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "intersection" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "crossing" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "intersection", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The junction of two (or more) paths, streets, highways, or other thoroughfares.
"Near-synonym: crossroads"
- 2 the act of intersecting (as joining by causing your path to intersect your target's path) wordnet
- 3 Any overlap, confluence, or crossover.
"Within this melee of intersections between English and Cantonese, the students, being themselves bilingually fluent, were able to navigate with perfect ease in communicative contexts where the provenance of a certain term or expression matters little."
- 4 a junction where one street or road crosses another wordnet
- 5 The point or set of points common to two geometrical objects (such as the point where two lines meet or the line where two planes intersect).
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a representation of common ground between theories or phenomena wordnet
- 7 The set containing all the elements that are common to two or more sets.
- 8 a point where lines intersect wordnet
- 9 The element where two or more straight lines of synchronized skaters pass through each other.https://web.archive.org/web/20120214131704/http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/content/transnews/0,10869,4844-128590-19728-18885-295370-3787-4771-layout160-129898-news-item,00.html
- 10 the set of elements common to two or more sets wordnet
- 11 The pullback of a corner of monics.
- 12 a point or set of points common to two or more geometric configurations wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"What's the name of this intersection?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "intersection"?
Common synonyms include: crossing, overlap, access, accord, accordance, affinity.
How do you use "intersection" in a sentence?
What's the name of this intersection?
How do you pronounce "intersection"?
Pronounced /ˈɪntəɹˌsɛkʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle French intersection and its etymon Latin intersectiō. By surface analysis, intersect + -ion.