obstruct
/əb'strʌkt/
Definition
- Verb:
- To block or close a passage, opening, or path: To physically prevent movement or passage through something.
- To be in the way of something, making it difficult to see or pass: To hinder or impede progress, movement, or a line of sight.
- To hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of something: To create an obstacle to an action, process, or goal.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- The fallen tree obstructed the road, so we had to turn back.
- A large truck was obstructing the entrance to the building.
- The new policy could obstruct efforts to improve public health.
- Please do not obstruct the emergency exit.
Advanced Usage
- Legal/Formal Context: Used to describe illegal interference.
- The defendant was charged with obstructing justice by destroying evidence.
- Medical Context: Refers to something blocking a bodily passage.
- The scan revealed a tumor obstructing the patient's airway.
Variants and Related Words
- Obstruction (n): The act of obstructing or the state of being obstructed; an obstacle.
- The protest caused an obstruction on the highway.
- Obstructive (adj): Causing or intended to cause an obstruction.
- He was accused of being obstructive during the investigation.
- Unobstructed (adj): Not obstructed; clear.
- We have an unobstructed view of the ocean from our balcony.
Synonyms
- Block: To stop movement through or access to something.
- Hinder: To create difficulties, resulting in delay or obstruction.
- Impede: To delay or prevent by obstructing them.
- Hamper: To hinder or impede the movement or progress of.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
(Note: "Obstruct" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically conveyed directly.) - To obstruct someone/something from doing something: A common grammatical construction. - The law is designed to obstruct companies from engaging in unfair practices.
Related Idioms
- To throw up an obstruction: To create a sudden obstacle.
- The last-minute legal challenge threw up an obstruction to the deal's completion.
- A deliberate obstruction of the course of justice: A formal legal phrase for interfering with an investigation or legal proceeding.
Verb
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shut out from view or get in the way so as to hide from sight
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The thick curtain blocked the action on the stage
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The trees obstruct my view of the mountains
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block passage through
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obstruct the path
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hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
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His brother blocked him at every turn
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