1
as in guarding
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in besieging
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 blockading
In 2003 and 2005, demonstrators blockading La Paz in protest over foreign designs on their country's natural gas reserves toppled two pro-Western governments, paving the way for the rise of former President Evo Morales, the founder of MAS.
—
ABC News, 27 May 2026
Iran had to shut in its own wells this month after the United States started blockading the strait.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
But Iran is blockading the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
Atlantic piracy had reached its peak, blockading the port of Charleston and choking off trade routes from the Caribbean to Long Island.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The blockading country's navy must essentially pull over ships, like a traffic cop at sea.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Since the Ayatollah was killed, Iran has gained leverage over the United States and Israel by blockading the Strait of Hormuz and torpedoing the global economy.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 27 May 2026
Iran had to shut in its own wells this month after the United States started blockading the strait.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
But Iran is blockading the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
Atlantic piracy had reached its peak, blockading the port of Charleston and choking off trade routes from the Caribbean to Long Island.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The blockading country's navy must essentially pull over ships, like a traffic cop at sea.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Since the Ayatollah was killed, Iran has gained leverage over the United States and Israel by blockading the Strait of Hormuz and torpedoing the global economy.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockading
Verb
-
Robinson might not draw the primary defensive assignment guarding Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama, a job that could fall to the Knicks' fleet of wings, but Robinson's offensive rebounding will be critical in not allowing second-chance opportunities.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
This nickel corner competition will be interesting with Thornton; the soon-to-be second-year player made a play last week guarding wide receiver Chris Brazzell on a deep pass.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Israel tried to take over Gaza City before in this war, besieging it and launching raids in its streets, but tens of thousands of people remained.—
Aya Batrawy,
NPR,
5 Sep. 2025
-
And while politicians know that there are costs to besieging an independent central bank – financial markets may react negatively or inflation may flare up – short-term control of a powerful policy tool can prove irresistible.—
Ana Carolina Garriga,
The Conversation,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than attacking all rapidly growing cells, as chemotherapy does, the drug targets a key cancer-driving pathway known as KRAS, which is involved in more than 90% of pancreatic tumors.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
-
Akindahunsi is accused of attacking several women the night of May 28.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockading. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
