obstruct
verb
ob·struct əb-ˈstrəkt 
äb-
obstructed; obstructing; obstructs
transitive verb
1
: to block or close up by an obstacle
A piece of food obstructed his airway.
The road was obstructed by a fallen tree.
2
: to hinder from passage, action, or operation : impede
Constant interruptions obstruct our progress.
was charged with obstructing justice by lying to investigators
3
: to cut off from sight
A wall obstructs the view.
obstructive
əb-ˈstrək-tiv
adjective or noun äb-
obstructiveness noun
obstructor
əb-ˈstrək-tər
noun äb-
Synonyms
- clog
- cramp
- embarrass
- encumber
- fetter
- hamper
- handcuff
- handicap
- hinder
- hobble
- hog-tie
- hold back
- hold up
- impede
- inhibit
- interfere (with)
- manacle
- shackle
- short-circuit
- stymie
- tie up
- trammel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
A large tree obstructed the road. A piece of food obstructed his airway and caused him to stop breathing. She was charged with obstructing police. She was charged with obstructing justice by lying to investigators.
Recent Examples on the Web Federal prosecutors now allege that sometime that same day, Bateman and others deleted messages on Signal in an alleged attempt to obstruct a prosecution. 
Jessica Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Sep. 2022 He was acquitted of a conspiracy to obstruct justice charge accusing him of fixing the 2008 trial. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2022 Arguing before a judge, the Department of Justice suggested there were efforts to conceal and possibly obstruct their investigation. Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 The most extreme example of an Oath Keepers effort to obstruct an action that the group deems unconstitutional was reportedly the Capitol riots. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2022 And the final one, Section 1519, prohibits concealing, destroying or mutilating records to obstruct or influence an investigation. Olivia Gazis, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2022 Stewart has been an advocate for expanding health care to veterans exposed to the burn pits, appearing multiple times on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to act but also to warn of efforts to obstruct the legislation. Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 28 July 2022 But a years-long controversy over a rare plant species called Tiems Buckwheat has been at the heart of efforts by radical conflict groups like the Center for Biological Diversity to obstruct the final permitting of the mining operation. David Blackmon, Forbes, 25 July 2022 Prosecutors say the payments were part of a conspiracy to obstruct investigators leading up to Kelly's 2008 trial. Michael Tarm, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 See More
Jessica Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Sep. 2022 He was acquitted of a conspiracy to obstruct justice charge accusing him of fixing the 2008 trial. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2022 Arguing before a judge, the Department of Justice suggested there were efforts to conceal and possibly obstruct their investigation. Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 The most extreme example of an Oath Keepers effort to obstruct an action that the group deems unconstitutional was reportedly the Capitol riots. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2022 And the final one, Section 1519, prohibits concealing, destroying or mutilating records to obstruct or influence an investigation. Olivia Gazis, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2022 Stewart has been an advocate for expanding health care to veterans exposed to the burn pits, appearing multiple times on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to act but also to warn of efforts to obstruct the legislation. Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 28 July 2022 But a years-long controversy over a rare plant species called Tiems Buckwheat has been at the heart of efforts by radical conflict groups like the Center for Biological Diversity to obstruct the final permitting of the mining operation. David Blackmon, Forbes, 25 July 2022 Prosecutors say the payments were part of a conspiracy to obstruct investigators leading up to Kelly's 2008 trial. Michael Tarm, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin obstructus, past participle of obstruere, from ob- in the way + struere to build, heap up — more at ob-, strew
First Known Use
1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
obstruct
verb
ob·struct əb-ˈstrəkt
obstructed; obstructing
1
: to block or make passage through difficult
A fallen tree is obstructing the road.
2
: to be or come in the way of : hinder
She was uncooperative and obstructed the investigation.
3
: to make (something) difficult to see The new building obstructs their view of the ocean.
Medical Definition
obstruct
transitive verb
ob·struct əb-ˈstrəkt, äb-
: to block or close up by an obstacle
veins obstructed by clots
obstruct
verb
1
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of this would go much faster if you would stop obstructing me with your constant interruptions Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- impede
- hinder
- hamper
- embarrass
- inhibit
- handicap
- stymie
- delay
- block
- disrupt
- restrain
- encumber
- clog
- constrain
- cramp
- hobble
- tie up
- thwart
- fetter
- handcuff
- trammel
- shackle
- frustrate
- short-circuit
- hold back
- curb
- stifle
- interfere (with)
- hog-tie
- cramp one's style
- rein
- tie
- manacle
- brake
- give a hard time
- retard
- bind
- retain
- barricade
- derail
- balk
- check
- sabotage
- roadblock
- tether
- chain
- arrest
- confine
- strangle
- blockade
- baffle
- hold up
- leash
- foil
- choke
- halter
- smother
- muzzle
- repress
- stump
- suffocate
- suppress
- mire
- bog (down)
- hedge (in)
- hem (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- facilitate
- assist
- help
- aid
- open
- clear
- liberate
- promote
- encourage
- unclog
- make way
- free
- release
- unplug
- unstop
- loosen
- smooth
- further
- untie
2
as in to block
to prevent passage through by filling with something at the moment the city's only tunnel between downtown and the airport is obstructed by an overturned tanker truck Synonyms & Similar Words
- block
- occlude
- congest
- clog
- fill
- flood
- jam
- dam
- choke
- clot
- stuff
- overwhelm
- stop (up)
- gum (up)
- plug (up)
- bung
- inundate
- pack
- gridlock
- cork
- silt
- stopper
- spile
- fur
- stopple
- swamp
- glut
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clear
- open (up)
- unblock
- free
- unplug
- unclog
- excavate
- unstop
- hollow (out)
- lighten
- scoop (out)
- empty
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of obstruct are block, hinder, and impede. While all these words mean "to interfere with the activity or progress of," obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way.
the view was obstructed by billboards
The meanings of block and obstruct largely overlap; however, block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress.
a landslide blocked the road
The synonyms hinder and obstruct are sometimes interchangeable, but hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress.
rain hindered the climb
While in some cases nearly identical to obstruct, impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering.
tight clothing that impedes movement