as in blocked
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1
as in guarded
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
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2
as in besieged
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
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Recent Examples of blockaded
Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Australia, which relies directly or indirectly on the blockaded Strait of Hormuz for much of its energy imports, has halved fuel taxes and encouraged the use of public transportation amid soaring gas prices.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Cable news anchors pontificated on the possible environmental toll were the Al Salmi’s cargo of two million barrels of crude discharged into the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Apr. 2026
London — The world, hungry for oil, got a modest reprieve earlier this month when Saudi Arabia began diverting millions of barrels of crude —ordinarily destined for ships transiting the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — to its Red Sea port of Yanbu.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 27 May 2026
Iran has blockaded Hormuz since early March, choking off the oil and gas exports of the UAE and the other Gulf Arab producers.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 20 May 2026
The socialist coalition has blockaded key roads in and around La Paz, refusing even to let emergency vehicles pass.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 May 2026
Iran has continued to restrict traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and the United States has blockaded the country’s ports.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 11 May 2026
In recent months, the administration has blockaded Cuba’s oil supply at a time the island is undergoing a profound humanitarian crisis.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz for the vast majority of vessels for more than six weeks — a previously unthinkable scenario for a waterway that ordinarily carries about a fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies and a third of the world’s urea fertilizer exports.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
The Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded Central to the negotiations is Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point that, if left blockaded, could continue driving oil prices higher and further destabilizing global energy markets.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Three of the four countries that blockaded Qatar—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain—have also been the target of Iranian drones and missiles.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Goldman Sachs estimated that Qatar could see its GDP plunge by 14%, citing its lack of alternative export channels to the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Australia, which relies directly or indirectly on the blockaded Strait of Hormuz for much of its energy imports, has halved fuel taxes and encouraged the use of public transportation amid soaring gas prices.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Cable news anchors pontificated on the possible environmental toll were the Al Salmi’s cargo of two million barrels of crude discharged into the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Apr. 2026
London — The world, hungry for oil, got a modest reprieve earlier this month when Saudi Arabia began diverting millions of barrels of crude —ordinarily destined for ships transiting the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — to its Red Sea port of Yanbu.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
Demonstrators wielding dynamite have blockaded major cities, leading to shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies.
—ABC News, 27 May 2026
Iran has blockaded Hormuz since early March, choking off the oil and gas exports of the UAE and the other Gulf Arab producers.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 20 May 2026
The socialist coalition has blockaded key roads in and around La Paz, refusing even to let emergency vehicles pass.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 May 2026
Iran has continued to restrict traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and the United States has blockaded the country’s ports.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 11 May 2026
In recent months, the administration has blockaded Cuba’s oil supply at a time the island is undergoing a profound humanitarian crisis.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz for the vast majority of vessels for more than six weeks — a previously unthinkable scenario for a waterway that ordinarily carries about a fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies and a third of the world’s urea fertilizer exports.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
The Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded Central to the negotiations is Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point that, if left blockaded, could continue driving oil prices higher and further destabilizing global energy markets.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Three of the four countries that blockaded Qatar—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain—have also been the target of Iranian drones and missiles.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockaded
Verb
-
If answers feel guarded, believe that.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Over several days in the country, the trip — Stefano Ricci’s ninth — spanned the Tarangire region guarded by the Maasai, and the Serengeti national park with its rich wildlife, including leopards and families of lions and lionesses and their cubs appearing in campaign imagery.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Bay Area content creator Kane Parsons pushes back on conventional storytelling, and his hypnotic approach results in one of 2026’s most exhilarating debuts, a existential head trip that GoPros us into a human subconscious besieged by misshapen memories that trap and hold you hostage.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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Over the years, we were constantly besieged with inquiries.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Drones have been part of the department’s arsenal for just over a decade, but until recently their use was restricted to a narrow set of incidents, most involving barricaded suspects or bomb threats.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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The arrest of Abugharbieh follows the reports that a barricaded person was taken into custody on Friday, April 24, in connection with Limon and Bristy’s missing persons cases, per the HCSO.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Carney said antisemites in Canada have fired bullets at Jewish schools and thrown firebombs at synagogues and attacked community centers.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Thousands of mail carriers across the United States were attacked by dogs in 2025, with Los Angeles topping the list for most attacks, according to a new report from the United States Postal Service.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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The state is scheduled to choose a contractor and begin widening a chronically congested stretch of Williamson Road near Lake Norman this fall, a Mooresville official told the town Board of Commissioners this week.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
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While downtown could become more congested during the tournament, Johnson said prosecutors plan to utilize the eastern Jackson County Courthouse more frequently to avoid delays.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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StubHub should have disclosed the obstructed view upfront.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Depending on your vantage point, the band was often semi-obstructed or blocked from view.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Baghaei said the future of the choked Strait of Hormuz will depend on the countries of Oman and Iran, as both nations have a plan to manage passage through the waterway.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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San Franciscans who think Muni buses are always packed, or prone to crawl along choked streets, may find their views validated in a new slide presentation released by the Municipal Transportation Agency.—
Rachel Swan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockaded. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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