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
Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The prime minister attributed the rise in fuel prices to the war in Iran, which has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping lane between Iran and Oman.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026
Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Iran also spied on Iraqi positions with rudimentary precursors to drones, an early use of one of the regime’s most effective weapons in its attempt to blockade the strait.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Noun
For CEOs dealing with the uncertainty of inflation, shipping blockades, interest rates, tariffs, income inequality, AI development and more, keep an eye on the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington this week.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The prime minister attributed the rise in fuel prices to the war in Iran, which has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping lane between Iran and Oman.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
The economic impact on American consumers would be far worse if China decided to blockade Taiwan.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Iran also spied on Iraqi positions with rudimentary precursors to drones, an early use of one of the regime’s most effective weapons in its attempt to blockade the strait.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
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The city endured an 18-month siege by RSF forces before falling last year.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Along the way, Johnson will be seen sheltering in an under-siege eight-story flat during a missile strike, and will join mobile gun teams and Kyiv’s volunteer air defenders for a freezing night shift protecting the capital from Russian drone attacks.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The figure would be flanked up top by two eagles and guarded at the base by four lions — all gilded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The water-resistant outer material guards your essentials against splashes, while elastic straps and multiple pockets help keep your bottles upright.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a similar vein, the Business section featured an article on our inequitable national tax structure, which enables the wealthy to grow their wealth while most people, besieged by income taxes and rising property taxes, struggle.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
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Early on, the Biden team had been besieged with desperate pleas to ship more of the then scarce vaccine.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Sibomana-Rodriguez was 6 years old and living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he, his cousin and his brother were attacked by a swarm of chimpanzees.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Be sure that the rear lure always has a hook, as the bass typically key in on the ‘straggler’ when attacking a ball of bait.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In one case about a week ago, a Hollywood Hills resident suffered minor injuries when she was assaulted by burglars after the intruders were discovered in the home.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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In the course of the narrative, as John is embraced by friends and assaulted by strangers, Jones’s storytelling veers between breakthroughs and setbacks with a rhythm so mechanical as to verge on metronomic.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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