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

In 2023, the agency added a warning about intestinal blockages to Ozempic’s label. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024

In the rare occurrence of distress, it might be caused by an intestinal blockage due to consuming the large, fibrous leaves. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2024

Other musicians affected by the blockage include Alice in Chains, Burna Boy and Fleetwood Mac. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2024

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

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