blockade 1 of 2

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

blockade

2 of 2

verb

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
Noun
Before, some people would say that Gaza was under only indirect Israeli control via the blockade. Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025 The distance from the blockades at New York Drive and Allen Avenue to his restaurant was more than 2 and a half miles. Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
Russia has also weaponized food supplies, blockading Ukraine and preventing it from exporting its abundant grain and fertilizer stocks. Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2022 Just a few months prior, Blackbeard and his small pirate flotilla had blockaded Charleston, South Carolina, for close to a week. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blockade 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
  • The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have targeted Hamas infrastructure, but the airstrikes and siege have also led to a humanitarian crisis.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Ludovico’s secret tunnel—which may have stretched over half a mile—would have provided the widower private visitations and served as an escape route in case of a siege.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Last week, Trump threatened stiff tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but delayed them for 30 days after both countries promised to send 10,000 troops to guard their U.S. borders.
    Luke Garrett, NPR, 9 Feb. 2025
  • After Trump lost the 2020 election, Hegseth, at that point a member of the D.C. National Guard, volunteered to guard Biden’s inauguration following the attacks on January 6, but according to his most recent book was flagged as a potential extremist and told to stay home.
    Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this week, President Trump pardoned 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters who had besieged our nation’s capitol.
    DP Opinion, The Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2025
  • Hegseth, who has been besieged with scandals after Trump tapped him to helm the Pentagon, now faces a rocky path to Senate confirmation.
    Avery Lotz, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • By arguing against birthright citizenship, Trump is directly attacking the fourteenth amendment which was codified after the Civil War to extend citizenship to the formerly enslaved.
    Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 3 Feb. 2025
  • The gamble now is not gambling, protecting their bottom line but leaving themselves open to attack elsewhere.
    George Caulkin, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • His allies at the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement saying anyone who assaulted police officers should have served their full sentences.
    Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025
  • According to French outlet Le Monde, the suspect has been accused of assaulting 299 children between 1989 and 2014.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 3 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near blockade

Cite this Entry

“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on blockade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!