blockade 1 of 2

as in siege
the cutting off of an area by military means to stop the flow of people or supplies it was the blockade of all the enemy's major ports that finally won the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

blockade

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to guard
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to besiege
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 blockade
Noun
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started distributing aid on May 26 after a nearly three-month Israeli blockade that pushed Gaza's population of more than 2 million people to the brink of famine. Arkansas Online, 2 July 2025 Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19, allowing limited deliveries, the United Nations says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 2 July 2025
Verb
Lopez monitored every step of the journey, even dealing with a trucking strike that threatened to blockade the route to Cerro Pachón. Rebecca Boyle, Scientific American, 12 June 2025 Parliament and the president's office in Kenya's capital Nairobi were barricaded with razor wire, with all access roads blockaded by police. Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for blockade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockade
Noun
  • At least 8,000 residents of the city died amid the siege, according to Human Rights Watch.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2025
  • For the past 30 days, President Donald Trump has laid siege to L.A. like a potentate trying to quash a far-away rebel province.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • In the first quarter, Clark was being guarded closely and well out from beyond the 3-point line.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
  • During a recent interview in Rolling Stone, Murph was guarded but self-reflective.
    Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Today, some 30,000 Druze and Christians are besieged—without water, electricity, food, or medicine.
    Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • Khader returned to Jenin briefly in December, smuggled in by friends while the camp was besieged by the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in coördination with the Israeli military, as part of a crackdown on armed fighters.
    M. Z. Adnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • Amorim needs a mobile centre forward capable of attacking open space at speed and offering a threat in quick transition.
    Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • In June, a woman defaced a Pilsen mural at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue and was accused of attacking another woman who tried to stop her.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Two 32-year-old men were assaulted and left with minor injuries.
    Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 21 July 2025
  • After the vehicle became disabled, bystanders in the crowd dragged the driver outside the car and began to physically assault them, according to police.
    Jon Haworth, ABC News, 19 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blockade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockade. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on blockade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!