as in siege
the cutting off of an area by military means to stop the flow of people or supplies
it was the blockade of all the enemy's major ports that finally won the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to guard
to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point
the militant protestors blockaded the whole area around city hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to besiege
to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication
blockaded the city until it surrendered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blockade
Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 28 Feb. 2026
Shirk said the low number of civilian casualties on Sunday across Mexico was remarkable, given the widespread use of blockades in states across the country.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
As roads were blockaded with burning vehicles, airlines canceled flights and cruise lines rerouted ships to avoid ports with potential problems.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Noun
Other countries could blunt the impact of a blockade somewhat by pivoting to other means of oil distribution and by tapping into reserves, analysts said.
—Maliya Ellis, Houston Chronicle, 28 Feb. 2026
Shirk said the low number of civilian casualties on Sunday across Mexico was remarkable, given the widespread use of blockades in states across the country.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Flights into some Jalisco airports were grounded and cartel gunmen blockaded highways by setting fire to vehicles in 20 states, according to Mexican authorities.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
As roads were blockaded with burning vehicles, airlines canceled flights and cruise lines rerouted ships to avoid ports with potential problems.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
-
Christopher Moynihan, a Capitol siege defendant from upstate New York, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a local charge in Dutchess County, New York, after allegedly threatening to murder House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.—
Scott MacFarlane,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Yemen’s Houthis also retain the ability to resume their siege on shipping in the Red Sea.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In addition to regular forces, thousands of temporary police officers have been deployed, and army troops — generally confined to barracks — are patrolling streets and guarding polling stations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
But Carolyn was guarded about the revival of John, treading carefully.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The Kings, who snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with Monday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, have been besieged by injuries this season.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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But threats from Iran to attack any ships in the region outweigh the promises of support.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Federal prosecutors accused Lang of assaulting police at the Capitol using an aluminum baseball bat and a riot shield.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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Three weeks later, Jalloh allegedly assaulted an older male and stomped his head into the ground.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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