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Synonyms

seal off

Idioms  

  1. Also, seal up. Close tightly or barricade to prevent entry or exit. For example, We're sealing off the unused wing of the building, or The jar is tightly sealed up. Dating from the first half of the 1900s, this idiom uses seal in the sense of “close securely,” as one used to do with a seal of wax.

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.

At Isfahan, for example, satellite imagery from February indicated all entrances to its tunnel complex appeared to be sealed off with earth, which would make any operation more difficult.

From BBC

Working with Ukrainian authorities, the team from Gloucestershire aims to teach farmers how to seal off areas that are highly contaminated.

From BBC

Nearby hotels were evacuated and roads were sealed off.

From BBC

Police sealed off the entrance to The Thistle on Hunter Street after the death was reported at about 10:20 on Sunday morning.

From BBC

The grounds had been sealed off by dozens of soldiers.

From Barron's

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.