block 1 of 2

Definition of blocknext
1
2
3
as in head
slang the upper or front part of the body that contains the brain, the major sense organs, and the mouth threatened to knock the block off the jerk next door if he didn't can the noise

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in side
a group of people acting together within a larger group a more conservative block within the political party

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

block

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to fill
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
3
as in to intercept
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb block contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of block are hinder, impede, and obstruct. While all these words mean "to interfere with the activity or progress of," block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress.

a landslide blocked the road

When might hinder be a better fit than block?

While the synonyms hinder and block are close in meaning, hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress.

rain hindered the climb

In what contexts can impede take the place of block?

In some situations, the words impede and block are roughly equivalent. However, impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering.

tight clothing that impedes movement

When would obstruct be a good substitute for block?

The meanings of obstruct and block largely overlap; however, obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way.

the view was obstructed by billboards

How does the verb block contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of block are hinder, impede, and obstruct. While all these words mean "to interfere with the activity or progress of," block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress.

a landslide blocked the road

When might hinder be a better fit than block?

While the synonyms hinder and block are close in meaning, hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress.

rain hindered the climb

In what contexts can impede take the place of block?

In some situations, the words impede and block are roughly equivalent. However, impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering.

tight clothing that impedes movement

When would obstruct be a good substitute for block?

The meanings of obstruct and block largely overlap; however, obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way.

the view was obstructed by billboards

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 block
Noun
Posing in a new campaign for Miu Miu's 2026 leather goods, Hadid complemented her playful new pixie with bright, block colors that also echoed the primary hues that dominated 1960s fashion and film. Meg Walters, InStyle, 2 Apr. 2026 The team leader also has a lot of support from sophomore forward Sarah Strong, who leads UConn in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Installing strong antivirus software on your devices can also help block malicious links, detect suspicious downloads and warn you about dangerous websites. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026 Jay Banks, who in 1956 was the supervisor in charge of blocking integration at Mansfield High School, and one year later at Texarkana College. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for block
Noun
  • Phlox is a perennial that has clusters of blooms that mirror the look of hydrangeas, and phlox comes in similar flower shades of pink, purple, and white.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The branches of the trigeminal nerve converge in one single cluster.
    Julia Daye, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • While there wasn’t a 7-foot-4 obstacle blocking the lane, the Clippers still couldn’t get out of their own way and lost to the Spurs for the third time in less than a month, 118-99, at the Intuit Dome.
    Janis Carr, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
  • At the same time, the physicists don’t see any insurmountable obstacles.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • One such affair claimed an extra life when the executioner’s son ascended the scaffold to brandish a head, lost his footing, and fell to his death.
    Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Being gentle with yourself is a form of bravery, so go ahead and indulge your softer side.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Woods, 50, had to climb out of the passenger's side door of his Land Rover in the wake of the March 27 crash on Jupiter Island, because the car had flipped onto its side after clipping the trailer attached to a pickup truck driving in front of him, according to the arrest report.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • However, a pro-Union group headed toward Arizona to stop this forward movement of the confederacy.
    Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 23 Mar. 2026
  • The Wainfleet area falls within the traditional homeland of the Six Nations of the Grand River, a confederacy comprising the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Tuscarora peoples — the Haudenosaunee.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For every event that closes, such as the Johannesburg Biennale (held in 1995 and 1997) and the Marrakech Biennale (2004–16), others, like the Lagos Biennial (founded in 2017) and the Stellenbosch Triennial (founded in 2020), emerge to fill the void.
    Smooth Nzewi, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Hernandez’s supervisors asked her to fill a new role in 2018, a job that did not exist anywhere else in the state.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Insua’s view was obstructed by the cargo, a deckhouse and crane on the barge.
    David Goodhue, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With the ability to carry up to eight Mark I fire-and-forget missiles built by Estonian startup Frankenberg Technologies, it's designed to intercept hostile drones much more cheaply than much more expensive anti-aircraft/missile missile systems.
    David Szondy April 04, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2026
  • His most immediate concern, Zelenskyy said, are the Patriots — essential for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles — as Ukraine still lacks an effective alternative.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/block. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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