as in sieges
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
1
as in guards
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 besieges
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
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Recent Examples of blockades
Reuters, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
Those concerns are echoed by the Minneapolis Fire Department, which says the pop-up nature of the blockades makes emergency response especially difficult.
—Derek James, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Fewer blockades for deals means more business for Goldman, which is the top global M & A advisor by market share.
—Jeff Marks,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
During his 156-day trial, prosecutors accused him of conspiring with six former Apple Daily staffers, two activists and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.
—Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Daily life was reshaped during the energy crisis with the shutdown of Armenia’s nuclear plant, frozen rivers preventing hydroelectricity, and blockades cutting natural gas.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
In response to the city clearing out the Cedar Avenue occupation, the activist organizations behind the blockades complained on social media about MPD officers dismantling three different roadblocks.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
Buses, taxis, private vehicles, bikes, delivery trucks, street vendors, and pedestrians, jockey around terrorism blockades, trees, sewers, garbage storage, and sidewalks — all competing for space.
—Amy Chester, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2026
In recent years Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of Taiwan, including by simulating blockades.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Television footage showed some protesters trying to push through blockades as officers forced them back.
—Reuters, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
Those concerns are echoed by the Minneapolis Fire Department, which says the pop-up nature of the blockades makes emergency response especially difficult.
—Derek James, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Fewer blockades for deals means more business for Goldman, which is the top global M & A advisor by market share.
—Jeff Marks,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
During his 156-day trial, prosecutors accused him of conspiring with six former Apple Daily staffers, two activists and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.
—Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Daily life was reshaped during the energy crisis with the shutdown of Armenia’s nuclear plant, frozen rivers preventing hydroelectricity, and blockades cutting natural gas.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
In response to the city clearing out the Cedar Avenue occupation, the activist organizations behind the blockades complained on social media about MPD officers dismantling three different roadblocks.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
Buses, taxis, private vehicles, bikes, delivery trucks, street vendors, and pedestrians, jockey around terrorism blockades, trees, sewers, garbage storage, and sidewalks — all competing for space.
—Amy Chester, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2026
In recent years Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of Taiwan, including by simulating blockades.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blockades
Noun
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Now requests are arriving steadily from New York, Maine, and Milan, other locales bracing for their own sieges.—
Kathryn Savage,
Artforum,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Surovstev’s birthplace, present-day Mariupol, Ukraine, has endured some of the most devastating strikes and sieges from Russia during the war.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Junior guards Ben Piekarz, the coach’s son, and Dave Malley each made four 3-pointers, including three apiece in the second half.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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The core rotation of Swain, post Matas Vokietaitis, forward Lassina Traore, wing Cam Heide and guards Tramon Mark, Simeon Wilcher, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver have played in a cumulative 190 out of a possible 192 games.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An autoimmune disease is a chronic condition in which part of your immune system mistakenly attacks part of your own body.—
Ruth Jessen Hickman,
Health,
10 Feb. 2026
-
After learning that Casper had been diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, Aidan Oldenburg, Ben Richardson and Luc Violette needed somebody with experience that could help them in the interim.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blockades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blockades. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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