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

An expert might suggest treating nasal obstruction or allergies, if this is what is causing snoring, or wearing a custom mouthguard to gently push the lower jaw forward and keep the airway open.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said an earthquake likely triggered a landslide that in turn blocked a river, sending water gushing downstream after it eventually breached the obstruction.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

“Despite recognizing this science internally, they poured resources into a campaign of deception and obstruction to protect their profits,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

While existing laws cover harassment and obstruction, they don’t reach the organized disruption that actually makes Americans feel afraid to enter their houses of worship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

She’d petitioned the DA to drop the obstruction charge.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

The Supreme Court has directed states to prevent the blockage of elephant corridors -- routes used by herds to move between rapidly shrinking habitats -- and ordered a survey to identify obstructions along those routes.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 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

Sidewalks in Glendale aren't particularly wide, adds Kassakhian, and he personally has witnessed a "stand-off" between a delivery robot and an elderly person, as well as broken-down robots causing obstructions.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

Dozens more are currently facing similar obstacles on top of obstructions because of permitting snafus and equipment shortages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

They talk of their B-trees and Disk Doctors and then have the nerve to complain when I discuss bowel obstructions at the dinner table.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• blockage
• hindrance
• interference