blockage

American  

[blok-ij] / ˈblɒk ɪdʒ /

noun

1. an act of blocking.

2. the state of being blocked; an obstructed condition.

   the blockage of the streets by heavy snows.

3. something that blocks; obstruction.

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blockage British  

/ ˈblɒkɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of blocking or state of being blocked

2. an object causing an obstruction

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Etymology

Origin of blockage

First recorded in 1870–75; block + -age

Explanation

Something that physically obstructs or blocks an opening or tube is a blockage. A blockage in your sink drain can make it overflow. There are two main kinds of blockages — the first affects your plumbing, impeding water from flowing through your pipes. The other type of blockage is a medical condition, affecting your circulatory system. The blockage in your uncle's arteries might mean he needs surgery. The noun blockage, from about 1827, comes from block, "solid piece," from the Old French bloc, "block of wood."

Example Sentences

Like a traffic jam, even a small blockage in a single sea lane can snarl backward long after the wreckage clears.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The longer the blockage lasts the greater the impact on global supplies of oil, gas and fertiliser, with a worldwide knock-on impact expected on the prices of fuel, electricity, food and medicines.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The figures suggest that the war in the Middle East did nothing to dent AI demand, despite some worries about the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting helium shipments.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Soon afterward, he was in the hospital, receiving treatment for a blockage in his bowels.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

The watchers below could see the chocolate swishing around the boy in the pipe, and they could see it building up behind him in a solid mass, pushing against the blockage.

From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl

Related Words

• stoppage