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

The blockage of the strait, which normally ferries 20% of the world's oil, sent global energy prices soaring. —Kevin Breuninger,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026

Village officials plan to reach out to residents living along the creek to see if there are any significant blockages that is causing problems. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

Now, with tension over naval navigation in the Middle East reaching a critical point, here’s what to know about the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and how a blockage of any kind could significantly impact global trade. —Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 Apr. 2026

But at a press conference yesterday afternoon, Artemis II entry flight director Rick Henfling downplayed that theory, noting that the blockage had persisted even after hours of warming Integrity’s vent in direct sunlight. —Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blockage

• dockage
• lockage

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