as in impeding
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Dissimilar Words
1
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
2
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
3
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blocking
Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Thuney himself was credited with zero sacks allowed in 643 regular-season pass-blocking snaps, the most by any player without a sack allowed, according to Next Gen Stats.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Officers said agitators were blocking the school's entrance and refused to leave.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Booker stood up to the Boilermakers’ bigs, blocking three shots of his own, playing a season-high 35 minutes three days after being iced out of the rotation against the Buckeyes.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Schools would not be mandated to start chapters, but they are required to stand clear from blocking their creation.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 6 Feb. 2026
The visit followed a federal judge’s temporary restraining order blocking a Department of Homeland Security policy that required members of Congress to give seven days’ notice before visiting immigration detention facilities.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
An overlay on the shoulder of the jacket added durability where a pack would sit—another functional design choice that gave the Nuptse its now iconic black color blocking on the shoulders.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 4 Feb. 2026
Much of the group later dispersed after they were threatened with arrest by local law enforcement for blocking the road.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
An officer may direct you out of the Express Lanes, too, into the general lanes if there is a collision blocking traffic.
—Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Thuney himself was credited with zero sacks allowed in 643 regular-season pass-blocking snaps, the most by any player without a sack allowed, according to Next Gen Stats.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Officers said agitators were blocking the school's entrance and refused to leave.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Booker stood up to the Boilermakers’ bigs, blocking three shots of his own, playing a season-high 35 minutes three days after being iced out of the rotation against the Buckeyes.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Schools would not be mandated to start chapters, but they are required to stand clear from blocking their creation.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 6 Feb. 2026
The visit followed a federal judge’s temporary restraining order blocking a Department of Homeland Security policy that required members of Congress to give seven days’ notice before visiting immigration detention facilities.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
An overlay on the shoulder of the jacket added durability where a pack would sit—another functional design choice that gave the Nuptse its now iconic black color blocking on the shoulders.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 4 Feb. 2026
Much of the group later dispersed after they were threatened with arrest by local law enforcement for blocking the road.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blocking
Verb
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Instead, opt for wall hangings, artwork, a fun wall color, or wallpaper to add a little flair to your kitchen space without filling your counters with unnecessary things.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
6 Feb. 2026
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Gen Z is increasingly following older generations in filling these spaces.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Also, the amount of sunlight that reaches an area can change dramatically over the growing season, so re-check every week or so to make sure nothing is obstructing access to sunlight.—
Kerry Michaels,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
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Indeed, some emergency routes have huge mountains of snowy ice chunks obstructing more than one lane of the road because the snowplows could not move the snow to the side of the road due to all of the bike lane obstacles .—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Both played well in the postseason, too, with Durant intercepting three passes and breaking up seven more and Curl making a big impact in the divisional victory over the Chicago Bears, not least of all with an overtime interception.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
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Although Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting 27 missiles and 315 drones out of 342 projectiles, the mega-strike, which targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, left half of Kyiv without electricity amid bitter cold.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Carolinas could see blizzard conditions stemming from the bomb cyclone, a term Oravec used to described an intense, rapidly strengthening storm system off the Southeast coast packing strong winds.—
Kristin M. Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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Breeze and former UConn star Paige Bueckers — the 2021 AP Player of the Year — are just two of the players responsible for packing the place on Friday night.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The kids are sure to love the life-size puppets and jamming tunes.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Feb. 2026
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Adding Starlink allows Moscow to bypass Ukraine’s electronic defenses that disable drones by jamming GPS and radio signals.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Not every retailer is deploying AI in headline-grabbing ways, but many are intentionally building the foundations that make the technology viable.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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Another handwashing no-no is touching the phone, then grabbing clean tongs without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Holding space for your interests, priorities and life circumstances is good offense, but a crazy job market also requires strong career defense, such as plugging up your financial foundation and skill gaps.—
Caroline Ceniza-Levine,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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These systems can be purchased for a fraction of the price of rooftop panels and can be as simple to use as plugging into an existing electrical outlet.—
Calvin Ball,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Firefighters responded with a C-130 air tanker, dropped retardant and created containment lines around the fire.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
That time, the fire department fought back with an almost orchestral force — convoys of trucks, helicopters hovering low in the smoke, tankers trailing lines of crimson retardant through the canyons.—
Jonathan Taplin,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blocking. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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