blockage

American  

[blok-ij] / ˈblɒk ɪdʒ /

noun

1. an act of blocking.

2. the state of being blocked; an obstructed condition.

   the blockage of the streets by heavy snows.

3. something that blocks; obstruction.

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blockage British  

/ ˈblɒkɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of blocking or state of being blocked

2. an object causing an obstruction

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Etymology

Origin of blockage

First recorded in 1870–75; block + -age

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."

Example Sentences

The crew were candid about a persistent blockage in the toilet's primary vent line, saying it got "clogged up".

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

The spacecraft has been rotated to face the sun to "bake off any ice" and heaters have been activated, "and we still see blockage," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Soon afterward, he was in the hospital, receiving treatment for a blockage in his bowels.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Western oil executives warned last week at S&P Global’s CERAWeek conference that blockage of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of global oil supply flows—has tightened physical fuel markets far more than investors realize.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The watchers below could see the chocolate swishing around the boy in the pipe, and they could see it building up behind him in a solid mass, pushing against the blockage.

From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl

Related Words

• stoppage