blockade
1 of 2verb
block·ade blä-ˈkād 
blockaded; blockading
transitive verb
1
: to subject to a blockade
2
: block, obstruct
blockader noun
blockade
2 of 2noun
1
: the isolation by a warring nation of an enemy area (such as a harbor) by troops or warships to prevent passage of persons or supplies
broadly : a restrictive measure designed to obstruct the commerce and communications of an unfriendly nation
2
: something that blocks
3
: interruption of normal physiological function (such as transmission of nerve impulses) of a cellular receptor, tissue, or organ
also : inhibition of a physiologically active substance (such as a hormone)
Synonyms
Verb
- bar
- barricade
- block (off)
- close (off)
- guard
- wall (off)
Noun
- beleaguerment
- investment
- leaguer
- siege
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb They blockaded the country's ports. the militant protestors blockaded the whole area around city hall Noun it was the blockade of all the enemy's major ports that finally won the war
Recent Examples on the Web
Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2022 The images emerged just hours after Putin ordered his troops to blockade rather than storm the last Ukrainian stronghold in the city. NBC News, 22 Apr. 2022 According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian forces in the Luhansk Oblast are continuing their attempts to blockade the city of Lysychansk and take control of the strategically important Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway. Kherson. Katya Soldak, Forbes, 30 June 2022 The arrivals of the Harpoon will likely compel even greater caution from Russian warships and could complicate efforts to blockade Ukraine. Sebastien Roblin, Forbes, 17 June 2022 Serhiy Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region, said Russian forces had attacked Sievierodonetsk’s industrial zone on Friday and also attempted to enter and blockade Lysychansk. Reuters, NBC News, 25 June 2022 At talks in Turkey last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated support for a UN proposal that would create shipping corridors to ease the ports blockade and allow Russia to export grain and fertilizer. Sarah Kaplan, BostonGlobe.com, 13 June 2022 Moscow continues to blockade Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, preventing the export of millions of tons of grain to countries around the world. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 11 June 2022 Ukrainian defenders continue to hold a last redoubt, a sprawling steelworks plant, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to blockade. Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2022 Peter Bergen, CNN, 29 Aug. 2022 The announcement was an important demonstration that the Biden Administration isn’t ceding the strait to China despite its threats and recent war games that simulated a blockade and invasion. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 China’s military exercises this month were not a blockade. New York Times, 25 Aug. 2022 Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow and program director at the Middle East Institute, said the fuel shortages, blockade and frequent attacks with Israel all affect how the power plant functions in Gaza and the amount of electricity people receive. Rima Abdelkader, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2022 Since then, Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and several smaller battles, and Israel and Egypt have imposed a crippling blockade on the territory. Jelal Hassan, ajc, 19 Aug. 2022 But subs, while perfectly capable of lobbing Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities, can’t do the things surface ships routinely do—chase down freighters and board them in order to enforce a blockade. David Axe, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 And the other really unprecedented thing in the missile domain was these are the kind of closure areas, and indeed, the Chinese referred to these as blockade drills. CBS News, 17 Aug. 2022 The bulk carrier will deliver the shipment under a deal to lift Russia’s blockade on Ukrainian grain, as the war drives up prices and worsens a global food crisis. Ellen Francis And Katerina Ang, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
Early Wednesday, hours after her concession speech at a sprawling ranch in Jackson, Cheney announced her plans for the anti-Trump organization to potentially blockade his path back to Pennsylvania Avenue. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2022 The images emerged just hours after Putin ordered his troops to blockade rather than storm the last Ukrainian stronghold in the city. NBC News, 22 Apr. 2022 According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian forces in the Luhansk Oblast are continuing their attempts to blockade the city of Lysychansk and take control of the strategically important Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway. Kherson. Katya Soldak, Forbes, 30 June 2022 The arrivals of the Harpoon will likely compel even greater caution from Russian warships and could complicate efforts to blockade Ukraine. Sebastien Roblin, Forbes, 17 June 2022 Serhiy Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region, said Russian forces had attacked Sievierodonetsk’s industrial zone on Friday and also attempted to enter and blockade Lysychansk. Reuters, NBC News, 25 June 2022 At talks in Turkey last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated support for a UN proposal that would create shipping corridors to ease the ports blockade and allow Russia to export grain and fertilizer. Sarah Kaplan, BostonGlobe.com, 13 June 2022 Moscow continues to blockade Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, preventing the export of millions of tons of grain to countries around the world. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 11 June 2022 Ukrainian defenders continue to hold a last redoubt, a sprawling steelworks plant, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to blockade. Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2022 Noun
Shortly after the trip, the Saudis imposed a blockade on Qatar, which had long found their enormously wealthy neighbor to be an irritant. Peter Bergen, CNN, 29 Aug. 2022 The announcement was an important demonstration that the Biden Administration isn’t ceding the strait to China despite its threats and recent war games that simulated a blockade and invasion. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 China’s military exercises this month were not a blockade. New York Times, 25 Aug. 2022 Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow and program director at the Middle East Institute, said the fuel shortages, blockade and frequent attacks with Israel all affect how the power plant functions in Gaza and the amount of electricity people receive. Rima Abdelkader, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2022 Since then, Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and several smaller battles, and Israel and Egypt have imposed a crippling blockade on the territory. Jelal Hassan, ajc, 19 Aug. 2022 But subs, while perfectly capable of lobbing Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities, can’t do the things surface ships routinely do—chase down freighters and board them in order to enforce a blockade. David Axe, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 And the other really unprecedented thing in the missile domain was these are the kind of closure areas, and indeed, the Chinese referred to these as blockade drills. CBS News, 17 Aug. 2022 The bulk carrier will deliver the shipment under a deal to lift Russia’s blockade on Ukrainian grain, as the war drives up prices and worsens a global food crisis. Ellen Francis And Katerina Ang, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Verb
1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing blockade
Kids Definition
blockade 1 of 2
verb
block·ade blä-ˈkād
blockaded; blockading
: to close off a place to prevent the coming in or going out of people or supplies
blockade
2 of 2noun
: the closing off of a place (as by warships) to prevent the coming in or going out of people or supplies
Medical Definition
blockade 1 of 2
noun
block·ade blä-ˈkād
1
a
: interruption of normal physiological function (as transmission of nerve impulses) of a cellular receptor, tissue, or organ
b
: inhibition of a physiologically active substance (as a hormone)
2
: the process of reducing the phagocytic capabilities of the mononuclear phagocyte system by loading it with harmless material (as India ink or lampblack) which engages its cells in phagocytosis and prevents them from reacting to new antigenic material compare blocking antibody
blockade
2 of 2transitive verb
blockaded; blockading
: to subject to blockade
blockading
verb
1
as in guarding
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
Relevance
- guarding
- barricading
- barring
- obstructing
- locking
- gating
- diking
- fencing
- blocking (off)
- closing (off)
- walling (off)
- hedging
- screening (off)
- curtaining (off)
- bolting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- opening
- reopening
- unblocking
- unbolting
- unbarring
2
as in besieging
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
- besieging
- attacking
- assaulting
- encircling
- barricading
- blocking
- beleaguering
- leaguering
- assailing
- investing
- isolating
- confining
- laying siege to
- damming
- insulating
- cutting off
- quarantining
- besetting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- freeing
- rescuing
- releasing
- liberating
- emancipating