blockage

noun

block·​age ˈblä-kij 

: an act or instance of obstructing : the state of being blocked

a blockage in a coronary artery

Examples of blockage in a Sentence

He had surgery to open up blockages in his arteries.

trying to prevent blockage of the artery

Recent Examples on the Web

Take hurricanes for example: In 2023, researchers showed AI could help policymakers identify the best places to put traffic sensors to detect road blockages after tropical storms in Tallahassee, Fla. —Harry Booth, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024

Selenite can help Scorpios clear away emotional blockages and stagnant energy, making space for new growth and transformation. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024

While gallstones and mild inflammation can cause temporary discomfort, blockages in the gallbladder or bile ducts and infections can be very serious and require emergency medical attention.1 Is gallbladder disease curable? —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Oct. 2024

Both companies decried those allegations, but their blockages were the price their companies had to pay to avoid a bigger legal fight. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age ˈbläk-ij 

: an act or instance of blocking : the state of being blocked

a blockage in an artery

Medical Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age ˈbläk-ij 

: the action of blocking or the state of being blocked: as

a

: blockade sense 2

b

: internal resistance to understanding a communicated idea, to learning new material, or to adopting a new mode of response because of existing habitual ways of thinking, perceiving, and acting compare blocking

Legal Definition

blockage

noun

block·​age

: the condition of a large block of items of property (as shares of stock) that requires special valuation for purposes of estate and gift tax because the value of the items sold as a block differs from their value if sold individually