STOPPING (UP) Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

stopping (up)

verb

present participle of stop (up)

as in blocking

to prevent passage through by filling with something clear the leaves out of the rain gutters so they don't stop up the downspouts again

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for stopping (up)

Verb

The gates blocking it, and the security checkpoints along its flanks, will dramatically limit the public’s desire to enter, and change the tenor and experience of a space that should feel porous and inclusive.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Benson’s Sunday task will be blocking defensive ends Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye, who, according to Pro Football Focus, have combined for 20 pressures this season.

— Pete Sweeney October 1, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of blocking

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

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.

Browse Nearby Words

stopping (over)

stopping (up)

stopple

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“Stopping (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stopping%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stopping (up)

verb

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