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
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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
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Recent Examples of blockading
But others describe the reality of the early weeks, where discussion was completely hampered by Israel's insistence on fully blockading aid into Gaza.
—
Tom Bowman, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Tom Bowman, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockading
Verb
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The protective father also held his hands back, guarding his son while placing the back of his head on Jack’s stomach.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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On Tuesday, Charles hit 3-of-7 of her field goal attempts and hit all five of her free throws while taking on the assignment of guarding Storm sharpshooter Gabby Williams.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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The team has started the 2025/26 season in a less than free-flowing fashion and has struggled to put up the attacking numbers that might be expected of a defending champion.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Atalanta comes in with resilience and attacking threats, particularly in transition, but their back line has looked shaky at times this year.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blockading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockading. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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