occlude

verb

oc·​clude ə-ˈklüd How to pronounce occlude (audio)
ä-
occluded; occluding

transitive verb

1
: to close up or block off : obstruct
a thrombus occluding a coronary artery
also : conceal
cosmetics that occlude pores
2
: sorb
Palladium occludes large volumes of hydrogen.

intransitive verb

1
: to come into contact with cusps of the opposing teeth fitting together
His teeth do not occlude properly.
2
: to become occluded

Example Sentences

a blood clot had occluded a major artery in his body
Recent Examples on the Web Darkness barreled in, and, for a terrible minute, the moon entirely occluded the light of the sun — except for its dancing orange corona, the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere that is usually hidden by its powerful light. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2023 The massive west coast Low is now fully occluded offshore northern California and still a marvel to watch via #GOESWest. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2023 Too much ear wax can get occluded, or stuck, in the ear canal. Madeleine Burry, Health, 3 Mar. 2023 His once-collegial demeanor was occluded by an officious streak that eroded his reputation. C.j. Chivers, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023 The approach also focuses on IMSI numbers, along with their 5G counterparts known as Subscription Permanent Identifier, or SUPI, and doesn't protect or occlude static hardware identifiers like International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers or media access control (MAC) addresses. Lily Hay Newman, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The vices occlude the virtues. Nick Paumgarte, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2021 Bush, whose time in office set the U.S. on its current course of war, privatization, and financial ruin, is on the road to being absolved of his responsibility for the current chaos because Trump’s misrule has been a debacle sufficient to occlude the memory of those grievous sins. Eoin Higgins, The New Republic, 1 Sep. 2020 First, obese patients may completely occlude the opening of the toilet, and second, improper use of a vacuum toilet may also contribute to the creation of suction. Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2011 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'occlude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin occludere, from ob- in the way + claudere to shut, close — more at close entry 1

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of occlude was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near occlude

Cite this Entry

“Occlude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occlude. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

occlude

verb
oc·​clude ə-ˈklüd How to pronounce occlude (audio)
ä-
occluded; occluding
1
: to close up or block off
2
: to take up and hold by absorption or adsorption
3
: to come together with opposing surfaces in contact
the teeth do not occlude properly

Medical Definition

occlude

verb
oc·​clude ə-ˈklüd, ä- How to pronounce occlude (audio)
occluded; occluding

transitive verb

1
: to close up or block off : obstruct
a thrombus occluding a coronary artery
2
: to bring (upper and lower teeth) into occlusion
3
: to take in and retain (a substance) in the interior rather than on an external surface : sorb
proteins in precipitating may occlude alcohol

intransitive verb

1
: to come into contact with cusps of the opposing teeth fitting together
his teeth do not occlude properly
2
: to become occluded
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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