blockades 1 of 2

plural of blockade
as in sieges
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

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blockades

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of blockade
1
as in guards
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 besieges
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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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 blockades
Noun
Export blockades caused by the Iran war have raised demand for the refinery’s fuels in African countries such as Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 26 June 2026 But one of the largest rural unions behind the road blockades that had strangled La Paz on Saturday called for a pause in the conflict and ordered protesters to withdraw until next week to assess the situation following the declaration of a state of emergency. ABC News, 21 June 2026 Road blockades have caused shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies in parts of the country and ground the economy to a halt over the past 50 days. Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026 Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a 90-day state of emergency, empowering the military to clear road blockades that have cut off La Paz and other cities from fuel and food. Paola Flores, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 President Rodrigo Paz on Saturday declared a state of emergency that gives the military broad power to remove road blockades that have put a stranglehold on fuel and food supplies in Bolivia’s seat of government and other major cities. Isabel Debre, Fortune, 20 June 2026 Some of that conflict has been out in the open, with bombs and blockades, but some of it has been invisible. Erika Beras, NPR, 17 June 2026 For now, traffic through the strait is likely to remain minimal with both blockades remaining in effect until the deal is formally signed on Friday. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 June 2026 The ceasefire period has been punctuated by intermittent fighting and dueling blockades in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping lane choked off by the conflict. Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 10 June 2026
Verb
There's no question that the United States has a credible threat of force, but the blockade really blockades ourselves as well as Iran. ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026 As the United States military blockades the Strait of Hormuz fuel prices rose above $100 dollars a barrel. Contessa Brewer,dawn Giel, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026 His death sparked civil unrest in Puerto Vallarta and more than a dozen Mexican states, including Quintana Roo, with cars set on fire and blockades obstructing highways. Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026 Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast. Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockades
Noun
  • Which is why many Americans have begun to tire of the sieges in their communities.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
  • As in traditional sieges, the focus is on the vulnerable flow of supplies rather than a defended position.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • The 6-foot-9 Haugh stretches defenses with his shooting, attacks the rim, thrives in transition and guards multiple positions.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
  • The Wolverines signed two other top-50 prospects in forwards Quinn Costello and Lincoln Cosby, plus guards Joseph Hartman and Malachi Brown and center Marcus Moller, a 7-foot-3 prospect from Denmark.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The 6-foot-9 Haugh stretches defenses with his shooting, attacks the rim, thrives in transition and guards multiple positions.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
  • Zuko attacks Katara while Azula attacks Aang, ultimately injuring him and leaving his fate unclear as Team Avatar escapes.
    Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blockades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockades. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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