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

Intestines Intestinal colic can occur as cramping in your intestines, usually due to a blockage in your large or small intestine. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024

One in five people hospitalized for heart attack (a blockage of blood flow to the heart) or chest pain develop major depression — about four times the rate in the general population, according to the American Heart Association. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 10 July 2024

During the breathing tube placement for the procedure, bile and water went into my lungs because of the blockages in my esophagus. —Rachel S. Hunt, Washington Post, 6 July 2024

For the next flight, SpaceX is focused on solving the technical issues observed on Flight 3: the filter blockages observed during Super Heavy's boostback and landing burns, Starship's attitude control during its coast phase, and managing reentry of that vehicle from orbital velocity. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 24 May 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