blockage

noun block·age \ ˈblä-kij \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: blockage in a Sentence

Definition of blockage

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

a blockage in a coronary artery

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See blockage defined for kids

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 of blockage from the Web

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these types of overflows can be caused by breaks or blockages, as well as defects that cause a system to be overwhelmed by stormwater and groundwater.

— Washington Post, "Baltimore to get $11M loan to help wastewater infrastructure," 2 May 2018
Some problems, like stroke, diabetes or a blockage in the intestines, can cause constipation.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "A caregiver's guide to constipation," 24 Apr. 2018
That same year, Raylene’s 15-year-old brother died after falling ill from a urinary tract blockage.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Faith Healer Parents Plead Guilty in the Death of Baby After They Chose Prayer Over Medical Help," 10 July 2018
Road blockages and power outages have also forced many companies to halt operations until the circumstances lift.

— renae reints, Fortune, "Massive Floods in Japan Have Killed More Than 70 and Hurt Local Manufacturers," 8 July 2018
My father’s heart didn’t recover for long, battered by the eventual installation of a pacemaker, then by heart blockages and lung cancer.

— mayukh sen, Bon Appetit, "In Search of Fatima Lakhani, Whose Cookbook Changed the Way My Family Ate," 27 June 2018
Her symptoms seemed to suggest a possible blood clot but with an IVC filter in place, the likelihood of her having a dangerous pulmonary embolus, or blockage, was quite low.

— Philly.com, "Medical mystery: An unexpected - and ironic - cause of chest pain," 24 June 2018
The long-acting injectable form, Vivitrol, keeps this blockage in place for three or four weeks.

— felice j. freyer, BostonGlobe.com, "Medications to treat opioid addiction," 6 June 2018
National titles won since blockage: 2 2018 — No more former players at practice The Crimson Tide can no longer use former players such as Blake Sims or John Parker Wilson to run the scout team.

— andy staples, SI.com, "The Latest Evidence That Nick Saban Lives in His Competitors' Heads," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blockage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of blockage

1759

in the meaning defined above

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BLOCKAGE Defined for English Language Learners

blockage

noun

Definition of blockage for English Language Learners

: something that stops something (such as blood) from moving through something (such as a blood vessel)
: the state of being blocked

Medical Dictionary

blockage

noun block·age \ ˈbläk-ij \

medical Definition of blockage

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

a : blockade 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

Law Dictionary

blockage

noun block·age

legal Definition of blockage

: 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