as in siege
the cutting off of an area by military means to stop the flow of people or supplies
it was the blockade of all the enemy's major ports that finally won the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to guard
to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point
the militant protestors blockaded the whole area around city hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to besiege
to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication
blockaded the city until it surrendered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blockade
CBS News, 14 June 2026
The blockade of the waterway has created severe supply constraints for various goods, including oil, gas and fertilizers, sparking price rises and fueling concerns about a return to stagflation.
—Terri Cullen,chloe Taylor,garrett Downs,anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 June 2026
Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 20 May 2026
But Iran is blockading the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Noun
The blockade has been a devastating success for us and impact on the Iranians.
—CBS News, 14 June 2026
The blockade of the waterway has created severe supply constraints for various goods, including oil, gas and fertilizers, sparking price rises and fueling concerns about a return to stagflation.
—Terri Cullen,chloe Taylor,garrett Downs,anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 June 2026
Verb
Iran has blockaded Hormuz since early March, choking off the oil and gas exports of the UAE and the other Gulf Arab producers.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 20 May 2026
But Iran is blockading the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
-
In the weeks leading up to his imprisonment, Abu Safiya fought to maintain his composure as Israeli forces surrounded the hospital, releasing grainy video dispatches from the facility under siege.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Details of the three-hour siege began to emerge.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, the WNBA’s leading scorer, missed the game with a lower leg injury.—
Jordan Puente,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
In May 2013, the Met returned the aforementioned kneeling figures that had long guarded its Southeast Asian art wing.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
The mass shooting that claimed 49 lives and injured dozens of others—the deadliest hate crime targeting LGBTQ+ people in American history—still leaves a grievous mark, most especially in a city, state and nation besieged with new attacks on the gay community.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
In place of the ancient forest was a shorn land besieged by uncontrollable wildfires, prone to land-slides and erosion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Just attacking everything with strikes.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
-
Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights have released a sketch of a man accused of attacking and choking a woman this past weekend.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Brianna and Kierianna Long now face several charges in connection with the May 30 incident, including assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to local reports.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
Police said the caller’s ex-boyfriend entered her house without permission and began assaulting her.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
