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:
The discovery suggests that fluid viscosity does more than obstruct cancer cells.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
No officer, regardless of rank, would be protected and any attempt to obstruct the investigation would be taken seriously, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
“It’s against the law to obstruct an investigation of Congress,” Paul said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 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
The road had no heavy load of traffic to support; there were few sharp curves or intersections where brush could obstruct the driver’s vision.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Then it went into a Faraday bag, which obstructs Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth and GPS signals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
“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
Coincidentally, the closure of stomata also obstructs the preferred entry points for nutrient-sucking pests like spider mites.
From Science Daily ● May 3, 2024
The tree partially obstructs the front door, but they keep it there so it is sheltered from the wind.
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2024
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
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
"It turned out that pretty much every spot in the first few rows had an obstructed view," she tells Newsbeat.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
It has been used against people whom the government alleged opposed or obstructed the immigration crackdown.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
Pushing through the last thorny bush that obstructed his way, Neel shone the light into the hollow.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
The couple were accused of removing road barriers and obstructing police officers in Islamabad - charges that both have denied.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Friday had denied Israel was obstructing the process.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
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
On October 20,1917, Alice Paul was escorted from a courtroom to the District Jail to begin serving a seven-month sentence for obstructing traffic.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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