obstruct

verb

ob·struct | \ əb-ˈstrəkt

, äb-\

obstructed; obstructing; obstructs

Definition of obstruct

1 : to block or close up by an obstacle A piece of food obstructed his airway. The road was obstructed by a fallen tree.

2 : to hinder from passage, action, or operation : impede Constant interruptions obstruct our progress. was charged with obstructing justice by lying to investigators

3 : to cut off from sight A wall obstructs the view.

Other Words from obstruct Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about obstruct

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from obstruct

obstructive \ əb-ˈstrək-tiv

, äb- \ adjective or noun

obstructiveness noun

obstructor \ əb-ˈstrək-tər

, äb- \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for obstruct

hinder, impede, obstruct, block mean to interfere with the activity or progress of. hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress. rain hindered the climb impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering. tight clothing that impedes movement obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way. the view was obstructed by billboards block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress. a landslide blocked the road

Examples of obstruct in a Sentence

A large tree obstructed the road. A piece of food obstructed his airway and caused him to stop breathing. She was charged with obstructing police. She was charged with obstructing justice by lying to investigators.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mod furniture pieces with transparent lucite and glass details capture the swinging spirit and won’t obstruct the view. — Heather Corcoran, ELLE Decor, "How to Bring Old Hollywood Into Your Home," 19 Mar. 2019 And so this will create an impression, again, that's already in the minds of the American people going into the midterm election that Donald Trump is obstructing the Russian investigation. — Fox News, "Politics of The New York Times' Rod Rosenstein report," 21 Sep. 2018 Beware of trees however, as some new ones have been planted in recent years and may obstruct the view. — Sophie Cannon, BostonGlobe.com, "Four spots (off the Esplanade) to watch the fireworks," 29 June 2018 The ambient lighting brightened the cabin nicely without obstructing the view of the road. — Scott Sturgis, Philly.com, "BMW X3 gets a redesign for 2018," 28 June 2018 Apparently in response to the intense interest, the tent has recently been surrounded by very large trucks, which obstruct the view. — chicagotribune.com, "Tesla builds giant tent to ramp up Model 3 production; expert calls it 'insanity'," 26 June 2018 Apparently in response to the intense interest, the tent has recently been surrounded by very large trucks, which obstruct the view. — Fortune, "'Words Fail Me. It’s Insanity.' While Elon Musk Loves Tesla's New Tent Factory, Others Aren't So Sure," 25 June 2018 Isn’t that going to obstruct views from practically everywhere? — Mel Shields, sacbee, "'Ooo la la.' Here comes Cirque Paris. | The Sacramento Bee," 14 Apr. 2018 If the public blames your opposition for obstructing the proper functioning of the government, your opponent might eventually break and come to the table to negotiate. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "Why the blame game over the government shutdown is pointless," 21 Dec. 2018

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