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
Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
But, in response, Iran has attacked Israel and its Gulf neighbors and blockaded the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route, delivering a global economic shock that has sent energy prices surging and threatened food shortages for billions.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Wind and solar cannot be embargoed, blockaded, or shut off by a foreign power.
—David Frykman, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
And, as the 2022 Canadian convoy protest that blockaded the bridge demonstrated, a single corridor for commercial traffic is vulnerable.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Ministers remain haunted by events in September 2000 when former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government, with a majority as large as Starmer’s now, was rocked as farmers and hauliers blockaded refineries and fuel depots amid fury over taxes levied on petrol and diesel.
—Ian King, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
The Caribbean nation has experienced severe fuel shortages, upending daily life on the island, after the US blockaded Venezuelan oil shipments.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The administration has threatened to tariff Cuba’s trade partners and has blockaded the island from receiving oil imports, which has sparked a deepening energy crisis in the country.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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
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
But, in response, Iran has attacked Israel and its Gulf neighbors and blockaded the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route, delivering a global economic shock that has sent energy prices surging and threatened food shortages for billions.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Wind and solar cannot be embargoed, blockaded, or shut off by a foreign power.
—David Frykman, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
And, as the 2022 Canadian convoy protest that blockaded the bridge demonstrated, a single corridor for commercial traffic is vulnerable.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Ministers remain haunted by events in September 2000 when former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government, with a majority as large as Starmer’s now, was rocked as farmers and hauliers blockaded refineries and fuel depots amid fury over taxes levied on petrol and diesel.
—Ian King, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
The Caribbean nation has experienced severe fuel shortages, upending daily life on the island, after the US blockaded Venezuelan oil shipments.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The administration has threatened to tariff Cuba’s trade partners and has blockaded the island from receiving oil imports, which has sparked a deepening energy crisis in the country.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockaded
Verb
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Adebayo found a rhythm in the second half, scoring 15 points in the final two quarters while being guarded by reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Recently, when Gonzalez maimed three fingers in a firework accident and spent weeks in the hospital, his neighbors house-sat and guarded his belongings.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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When news circulated about the gathering, Temple Emanu-El was besieged with inquiries from the local media.—
Joshua M. Davidson,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Multiple police units, including SWAT, responded to reports of a barricaded person Thursday morning in west Fort Worth.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
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Officials said crews responded to reports of an armed, barricaded man inside a home.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kuwait’s Al Salmi tanker was attacked at the port connected to the United Arab Emirates city better known as a destination for influencers, Reuters and The New York Times reported.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Houthis have previously attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea to disrupt the flow of oil, gas and other commodities through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Reservations help keep trails from becoming congested, and prevent pristine environments from being loved to death.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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This shows how the Brentford defence was so congested and organised, how Leeds players often felt potshots were their best option, and how a touch more composure or vision could have exploited an avenue like Bogle in this example.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 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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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 3 Apr. 2026.
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