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

Missouri is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the state Supreme Court’s blockage of a new congressional map ahead of the November general election. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026

Faux greenery eliminates plant-toxin concerns, but loose pieces can still become choking hazards or cause an intestinal blockage if swallowed. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

The latest landslide created a new blockage in the river and formed another barrier lake, authorities said. — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

When that blockage broke, a wall of water rushed downstream – reaching towns, taking hundreds of lives and destroying infrastructure. — Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blockage

• dockage
• lockage
• socage

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