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

Microrobots may become an effective tool in breaking down the dangerous blood vessel blockages that cause strokes. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2025

But swallowing a large amount at once, or many small pieces over a short period of time, can sometimes lead to an intestinal blockage. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 13 Nov. 2025

Thrombectomy is the gold-standard treatment for major vessel blockages, but access remains scarce. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2025

Urinary tract abnormalities such as blockages or reflux (backflow of urine toward the kidneys) and the use of urinary catheters also heighten infection risk. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025

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