obstruction

American  

[uhb-struhk-shuhn] / əbˈstrʌk ʃən /

noun

• obstructions
  plural

1. something that obstructs, blocks, or closes up with an obstacle or obstacles; obstacle or hindrance.

   obstructions to navigation.

   Synonyms:

   impediment, bar, barrier

   Antonyms:

   encouragement

2. an act or instance of obstructing.

3. the state of being obstructed.

   Synonyms:

   stoppage

   Antonyms:

   encouragement

4. the delaying or preventing of business before a deliberative body, especially a legislative group, by parliamentary contrivances.

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obstruction British  

/ əbˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

1. a person or thing that obstructs

2. the act or an instance of obstructing

3. delay of business, esp in a legislature by means of procedural devices

4. sport the act of unfairly impeding an opposing player

5. the state or condition of being obstructed

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Synonym Usage

See obstacle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preobstruction
  noun
• obstructional
  adjective
• obstructionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• obstructions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of obstruction

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin obstructiōn- (stem of obstructiō ) “barrier.” See obstruct, -ion

Explanation

An obstruction blocks things, like a roadblock prevents drivers to enter a street or a piece of food cuts off your windpipe. All types of obstructions block things. If you put a shelf in your doorway, that would be an obstruction: people would have a hard time getting around it. In football, offensive linemen try to be obstructions: they stand between the defense and the quarterback. Legally, if someone lies to the police or withholds evidence, they are an obstruction to justice, because they're preventing the police from doing their jobs. All obstructions are impediments; obstructions are in the way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

obstruction obstructions

The police have powers to deal with certain issues, such as if a vehicle is causing an obstruction.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

Residents doing the same acquire different labels: obstruction, disorder, interference, and even conspiracy.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

US media reported that Lander was found not guilty following a one-day trial in Manhattan as the judge found no evidence of deliberate obstruction.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

In 2023 he was impeached by the Republican-led state House of Representatives on charges of bribery, abuse of office and obstruction of justice.

From Salon ● May 30, 2026

Or as if there were some obstruction . . . where?

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

However, significant damage has been caused to the highway, with mud, silt, debris and other obstructions continuing to block access, and also ongoing safety concerns relating to both the road and the surrounding embankments.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

These obstructions don’t pop up specifically because we’re straight or gay or queer or open or pansexual or asexual or ethically nonmonogamous, but because we’re human.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

Ships departing Canada’s west coast can reach Asia’s east coast, without obstructions, in less time.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

Yvette Cooper called obstructions "from both warring parties... shameful and unacceptable".

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

The road became an endless stone ribbon, the hills obstructions, the trees green blurs, the people simply moving figures with heads but no faces.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• blockage
• hindrance
• interference