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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blockade
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 June 2025
Experts and aid workers say Israel’s months-long blockade and military campaign have caused widespread hunger and raised the risk of famine among the population of more than 2 million.
—Mohammad Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 14 May 2025
But its navy controlled enough of the Black Sea to blockade Ukrainian ports, choking the country’s economy and threatening global food security because Ukraine is a major grain exporter.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Noun
The new distribution system was imposed by Israel after the government partly lifted a two-and-a-half-month blockade on all humanitarian aid, which caused widespread malnutrition and famine-like conditions, according to food security experts.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 June 2025
Experts and aid workers say Israel’s months-long blockade and military campaign have caused widespread hunger and raised the risk of famine among the population of more than 2 million.
—Mohammad Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Verb
If the United States reduces its economic reliance on Taiwanese semiconductors, for instance, Beijing might decide that Washington won’t respond if China blockades or invades the island.
—Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 14 May 2025
But its navy controlled enough of the Black Sea to blockade Ukrainian ports, choking the country’s economy and threatening global food security because Ukraine is a major grain exporter.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blockade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
-
These additions transformed the fortress into a self-sustaining royal complex that could withstand lengthy sieges while supporting a sophisticated court life.—
Smithsonian Magazine,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 June 2025
-
Alas, during one night siege (silly enough to not scare the little ones, even as the entire village repeatedly goes up in flames), Hiccup aims his weapon at the shape of a Night Fury (no one, we’re told repeatedly, as ever really seen one), shoots, and … what!—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton has exercised his player option for the 2025-26 season, a league source confirmed to The Athletic.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
Seven players – from Kayla Thornton to Burton to rookie guard Carla Leite to former college teammate Kate Martin and others – spent time guarding at least one Clark attempt.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
The new film is again set in a Viking village that is constantly besieged by different kinds of dragons.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
-
The Israeli military has raided or besieged numerous hospitals during the war, alleging that Hamas uses them to conceal fighters and orchestrate operations — a charge Hamas has repeatedly denied.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
This infection attacks your stomach lining and causes inflammation.—
Sayaka Blickenderfer,
Health,
28 June 2025
-
The wild and ugly scenes saw rioters attack law enforcement with rocks and Molotov cocktails while others burned vehicles and other property.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Rihanna's has been candid about her relationship with her father over the years, and spoke out against her father after she was assaulted by her then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009 and Fenty reportedly spoke to the press about the incident without his daughter's consent.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
26 June 2025
-
According to Dominguez, Smith physically assaulted Turner and pulled out some of her hair.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share