noun
-
the act of blocking or state of being blocked
-
an object causing an obstruction
Etymology
Origin of blockage
Explanation
Something that physically obstructs or blocks an opening or tube is a blockage. A blockage in your sink drain can make it overflow. There are two main kinds of blockages — the first affects your plumbing, impeding water from flowing through your pipes. The other type of blockage is a medical condition, affecting your circulatory system. The blockage in your uncle's arteries might mean he needs surgery. The noun blockage, from about 1827, comes from block, "solid piece," from the Old French bloc, "block of wood."
Vocabulary lists containing blockage
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -age
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
-age, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas uses the crucial waterway whose blockage has send prices soaring.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
“In a way, therefore, the U.S. has become indispensable in filling the supply gap created by Iran’s blockage of the Strait.”
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
Pulmonary embolism and hereditary coagulopathy — an arterial blockage in the lungs and issues with blood clotting either too much or too little — contributed to his death, People said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
The White House keeps claiming that victory is near on Iran, which keeps people aware that the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz could end without warning, Lynch said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
The autopsy report she later received showed my father had had ninety-percent blockage of the arteries before he died of a heart attack at the age of seventy-four.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
