blockage

noun

block·​age ˈblä-kij 

: an act or instance of obstructing : the state of being blocked

a blockage in a coronary artery

Examples of blockage in a Sentence

He had surgery to open up blockages in his arteries.

trying to prevent blockage of the artery

Recent Examples on the Web

The blockages often force cyclists to veer into vehicle traffic. —Larry Seward, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026

The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has sent oil costs skyrocketing. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026

It was first rolled to the launchpad in mid-January, but several weeks ago, engineers found a blockage in the flow of helium that required NASA to roll the rocket back to its Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026

Inflation always rises alongside frictions in trade and supply chains, such as the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, the destruction of energy infrastructure, and so on. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blockage

• dockage
• lockage

Kids Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age ˈbläk-ij 

: an act or instance of blocking : the state of being blocked

a blockage in an artery

Medical Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age ˈbläk-ij 

: the action of blocking or the state of being blocked: as

a

: blockade sense 2

b

: internal resistance to understanding a communicated idea, to learning new material, or to adopting a new mode of response because of existing habitual ways of thinking, perceiving, and acting compare blocking

Legal Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age

: the condition of a large block of items of property (as shares of stock) that requires special valuation for purposes of estate and gift tax because the value of the items sold as a block differs from their value if sold individually