obstruct
Americanverb (used with object)
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obstructs,
present (3rd person singular)
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obstructed,
past participle, past
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obstructing
present participle
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to block or close up with an obstacle; make difficult to pass.
Debris obstructed the road.
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to interrupt, hinder, or oppose the passage, progress, course, etc., of.
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to block from sight; to be in the way of (a view, passage, etc.).
verb
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to block (a road, passageway, etc) with an obstacle
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to make (progress or activity) difficult
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to impede or block a clear view of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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obstructernoun
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obstructivenessnoun
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obstructornoun
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preobstructverb (used with object)
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obstructiveadjective
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unobstructedadjective
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obstructedlyadverb
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obstructinglyadverb
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obstructivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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obstructsimple
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obstructssimple
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have obstructedperfect
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has obstructedperfect
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am obstructingprogressive
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are obstructingprogressive
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is obstructingprogressive
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have been obstructingperfect progressive
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has been obstructingperfect progressive
Past
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obstructedsimple
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had obstructedperfect
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was obstructingprogressive
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were obstructingprogressive
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had been obstructingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of obstruct
First recorded in 1605–15, obstruct is from the Latin word obstructus (past participle of obstruere “to build or pile up in the way, bar”); see ob-, construct
Explanation
When you obstruct something, you block it. If you’re gobbling down your pizza, a chunk of crust you didn’t chew so well might obstruct your airway and you'll choke. Obstruct also means to get in the way so that you hide something from view. That fast food tower being built next to your beach house will obstruct your lovely ocean vistas. And that scene gives you a vivid illustration of the Latin roots the word comes from: ob- "against," and struere, "build." You can also obstruct something or someone by putting up a roadblock, literal or figurative: when you park yourself by the exit door, you obstruct everybody's way out.
Vocabulary lists containing obstruct
The Declaration of Independence
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List 1
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It’s against the law to obstruct an investigation of Congress,” Paul said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
As governor, he said he would not obstruct federal immigration authorities, instead favouring a return to what he characterised as a more co-operative approach seen during the Obama administration.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
If constructed, it will be topped with gilded bald eagles and an angelic Lady Liberty; its speckless white-marble columns will be wide enough to obstruct sight lines to the Lincoln Memorial.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
Federal prosecutors said while many people were peacefully demonstrating against immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles County last summer, some people sought to use violence to obstruct, impede or injure officers conducting the enforcement operations.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
Institutions—government, religion, school administrations, the music industry, Microsoft—were roadblocks, put on earth to obstruct and torment him, invade his privacy and limit his freedom of movement on the Internet.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
“Anyone who actively obstructs law enforcement in the performance of their sworn duties, including U.S. citizens, will of course face consequences which include arrest.”
From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026
Mr Frémond says not only is this unsightly, it attracts foxes and rats and obstructs the pavement.
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2025
Coincidentally, the closure of stomata also obstructs the preferred entry points for nutrient-sucking pests like spider mites.
From Science Daily ● May 3, 2024
“In declaring bankruptcy, the diocese knowingly obstructs survivors’ long-awaited opportunity to say their piece; to be heard, to be acknowledged,” attorney Cynthia LaFave said in a prepared statement.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 17, 2023
These local monopolies are reinforced by the Japanese government, which obstructs the import of foreign processed food by imposing a 10-day quarantine, among other restrictions.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
You don’t know where either track goes beyond the bottom of the hill, and you can’t see whether either track is obstructed.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
"Every weapon carried, every tunnel still worked on, and every convoy still obstructed sets the process back and hands an argument to those who want to resume war," he added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Many residents’ view of the blaze in recent days has been obstructed by the marine layer, which has provided some much-needed moisture for fire crews.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
In the lower tier of London Stadium, all adult tickets we saw were £95 - or £65 with an obstructed view - on the back straight and two bends.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Fortunately, the screen obstructed Holmes’s view of the mess.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
A jury convicted Baca in 2017 on charges of obstructing justice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
“There used to be three eucalyptus there, but the hotel owner cut them down because they were obstructing his view.”
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
A second defendant Abubakar Adamu, 35, the driver of the stationary lorry the car collided with, denies a charge against him of obstructing the free flow of traffic.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Dickson said conscientious objection was also delaying and obstructing access to abortion care in NHS settings in Wales.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Frankie pitched a board obstructing his path to one side, shoved another, and then realized Cas hadn’t answered.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
