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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blockades
Marc Champion, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Of course, there are additional legal frameworks outside of UNCLOS that specifically govern behavior during times of conflict, such as the law of naval warfare, which does allow for blockades.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 16 Apr. 2026
Here are three lessons learned from the history of naval blockades.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
For CEOs dealing with the uncertainty of inflation, shipping blockades, interest rates, tariffs, income inequality, AI development and more, keep an eye on the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington this week.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
But the blockades appear set to push up prices at the pump for consumers around the world, with some experts predicting the price of a barrel could hit $110.
—CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Police cleared fuel protesters from Dublin’s streets after six days of blockades paralyzed the Irish capital.
—Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Over six days the actions caused chaos as blockades at Ireland’s refinery, a major port and several vital depots prevented tanker trucks from delivering fuel to service stations and many gas pumps ran dry.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
The government has asked the country’s army to be on standby to remove blockades at terminals and refineries.
—Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
Energy blockades are acts of war.
—Marc Champion, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Of course, there are additional legal frameworks outside of UNCLOS that specifically govern behavior during times of conflict, such as the law of naval warfare, which does allow for blockades.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 16 Apr. 2026
Here are three lessons learned from the history of naval blockades.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
For CEOs dealing with the uncertainty of inflation, shipping blockades, interest rates, tariffs, income inequality, AI development and more, keep an eye on the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington this week.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
But the blockades appear set to push up prices at the pump for consumers around the world, with some experts predicting the price of a barrel could hit $110.
—CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Police cleared fuel protesters from Dublin’s streets after six days of blockades paralyzed the Irish capital.
—Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Over six days the actions caused chaos as blockades at Ireland’s refinery, a major port and several vital depots prevented tanker trucks from delivering fuel to service stations and many gas pumps ran dry.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
The government has asked the country’s army to be on standby to remove blockades at terminals and refineries.
—Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
-
However, Birru said the sieges were not fully broken.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Now requests are arriving steadily from New York, Maine, and Milan, other locales bracing for their own sieges.—
Kathryn Savage,
Artforum,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The water-resistant outer material guards your essentials against splashes, while elastic straps and multiple pockets help keep your bottles upright.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
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In 2019, the height of the rebuild, the Dolphins, who finished 5-11, started five rookies — wide receiver Preston Williams, guards Deiter and Shaq Calhoun, defensive end Wilkins and cornerback Nik Needham.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The man attacks the woman with the hammer multiple times before stepping over her unmoving body and walking away out of the frame of the camera.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Apr. 2026
-
She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that causes vision loss — and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records.—
Chase Jordan
April 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockades. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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