blocking
Americannoun
noun
-
electronics the interruption of anode current in a valve because of the application of a high negative voltage to the grid
-
internal congestion in a communication system that prevents the transmission of information
Other Word Forms
- nonblocking adjective
Etymology
Origin of blocking
Explanation
When you obstruct someone from seeing or doing something, that's blocking. In most sports, blocking your opponent is a huge part of playing the game. Blocking the player who's trying to make a basket is one kind of blocking. There's also blocking a street for the neighborhood block party, or blocking your ex-friend on social media. In each case, you're cutting off access in some way. In theater, the word takes on a different meaning, "the staging of actors." This use stems from the 19th-century theater, when directors would frequently use wooden blocks to plan out the actors' positions on a miniature stage.
Vocabulary lists containing blocking
Academic and Literary Vocabulary, Unit 2
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Academic Vocabulary and Literary Terms, Unit 5
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The Black Girl Survives in This One
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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.
Sun accused World Liberty Financial of blocking him from selling a stake he first amassed in the company in late 2024, just after President Trump was elected to a second term.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
For decades, the Great Firewall worked because information control meant controlling distribution channels by blocking websites, filtering search results, and monitoring social media.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Because BRD2 and BRD4 act at different points, blocking both at the same time, as many current drugs do, interferes with multiple steps of gene activation.
From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026
In an integrated global economy, the impact of blocking the Strait is amplified, perhaps more than even Iran's leaders expected.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
I adjust my glasses and turn my body so it’s blocking my paper even more.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
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.
