obstruction

Language: en

🇺🇸 /əˈbstrʌkʃən/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The action of obstructing or the state of being obstructed; something that blocks or impedes passage or progress.; The deliberate act of hindering or preventing someone from doing something, especially a legal or official process.; In medicine, a blockage in a bodily passage or vessel, such as an intestinal or airway obstruction.; In sports, an illegal act of impeding an opponent who does not have possession of the ball or puck.; In astronomy, the blocking of light from a celestial body by another object.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: obstructions

Collocations

obstruction of justiceintestinal obstructionairway obstructioncause an obstructionremove an obstructionbowel obstruction

Derivatives

obstructobstructiveobstructivelyobstructivenessobstructionismobstructionist

Synonyms

blockagehindranceimpedimentbarrierobstacleblock

Antonyms

clearanceopeningpassage

Commonly confused

obstacle
EN: 'Obstacle' is a general difficulty or barrier to progress; 'obstruction' specifically implies something that actively blocks or impedes passage or flow.
obstruct
EN: 'Obstruct' is the verb form meaning to block or hinder; 'obstruction' is the noun referring to the act or the thing that blocks.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'c' before 't' in 'obstruction' (ob-struc-tion), reflecting its Latin root 'obstructio'. Do not write *'obstrution'.

💬 Examples

  1. The fallen tree was an obstruction on the highway.

  2. He was charged with obstruction of justice for destroying evidence.

  3. The patient was diagnosed with a bowel obstruction requiring surgery.

  4. The referee called an obstruction on the defender for blocking the striker's run.

  5. The obstruction of the telescope's view by clouds delayed the observation.