BLOCKING Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

blocking 1 of 2

adjective

as in impeding

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

blocking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of block

as in filling

to close up so that no empty spaces remain block up the opening in the wall where a window once was

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obstructing

to prevent passage through by filling with something one of the patient's arteries was so blocked with fatty deposits that blood flow had been reduced to a trickle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in intercepting

to stop, seize, or interrupt while in progress or on course a thug suddenly stepped out of a doorway and blocked his escape down the alley

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 blocking

Adjective

The winner was the player who avoided being blocked the longest — a blocking game, a category of strategy game where the objective centers on restricting your opponent’s movement. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026

Verb

Students are gathering and blocking access near the School of Political Science, while other students are joining the high school student protest movement and the blockades at high schools in Paris, Ile-de-France, France, on October 7, 2026. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Not far away, armed men had been occupying makeshift barricades, blocking roads and turning some drivers away. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Beamer’s acumen in the game’s third phase comes from father, Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, whose Virginia Tech teams won games by blocking kicks and using trick plays. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 Protesters grabbed metal barriers blocking off the street and charged a row of cops before the officers were able to pull the barriers away from them. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 But Rooney suffered a fractured thumb in that match, so Bryant is the setter and is still doing some blocking too. — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 The medium-weight linen has enough natural texture to keep things from feeling too polished, and a cotton lining filters the light without blocking it altogether. — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 That interconnected structure could help prevent localized crystal defects from completely blocking ion transport. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026 Last winter destroyed thousands of tents in Gaza, soaking clothes, mattresses, and bedding, even as Save the Children reported that Israel was blocking critical aid such as tent poles, winter clothes, and blankets. — Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blocking

Adjective

As the Timber fire continued to burn, firefighting crews over the weekend wrapped a historic cabin in Big Sur built by settler John Pfieiffer in a fire retardant material that looks similar to tin foil, KSBW reported.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
That fire was 140 acres on Thursday, with air tankers and helicopters dropping water and retardant to limit its spread.

— Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of retardant

Verb

Gasoline price movements are more apparent to consumers than those of diesel, since drivers feel them immediately when filling up, economists said.

— Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
With tours filling and accommodation being booked, the temptation is to chase the longest possible totality.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of filling

Verb

The vehicle was stopped for a few minutes perpendicular to a snowy residential Minneapolis street, obstructing the flow of traffic.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Collaboration means different interests working through disagreements to find common ground – not obstructing progress in court while forests burn.

— Chris Edwards, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of obstructing

Verb

After the Seahawks picked off Herbert on the first play from scrimmage, the Chargers returned the favor on Seattle’s first play, intercepting a Sam Darnold pass.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Signals intelligence is the field of collecting, intercepting and analyzing electronic signals to support defense, communications and emergency response.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of intercepting

Verb

Xi successfully lifted the constitutional term limits on his rule as state president in 2018 and swept clean the top ranks of the party itself at the 20th Party Congress, in 2022, packing them with his own supporters and yes men.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
The third is a network of syringe-injectable implants, each packing two receiving pads, a transistor switch, a battery, and either a sensor or an actuator such as a nerve stimulator.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of packing

Verb

Furthermore, the report highlights electronic warfare, such as jamming, in addition to lasers or high-power microwaves meant to blind or damage satellite sensors.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
These uncrewed aircraft support pilots in F-35s, F-22s, and future F-47s by scouting, jamming electronics, and transporting weapons.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of jamming

Verb

The catalyst was a headline-grabbing second-quarter loss of $154 million that likely sent trading algorithms to hit the sell button.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Lopez then attacked Hager, grabbing his holster, and the two men fought over the deputy’s service weapon, according to the arrest report.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026