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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obstruct
The emergency appeal is among several the high court is considering in which the Justice Department argues that lower-court judges have improperly obstructed President Donald Trump's agenda.
—
Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2025
Newman was charged with obstructing governmental administration.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
But the schools chief enforced his right to stay on until June and has obstructed the mayor’s maneuvers to punt the MEABF to CPS every step of the way.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
To the north cloudy skies are likely to obstruct views of the solar eclipse in places such as Boston.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstruct
Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2025
Newman was charged with obstructing governmental administration.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
But the schools chief enforced his right to stay on until June and has obstructed the mayor’s maneuvers to punt the MEABF to CPS every step of the way.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
To the north cloudy skies are likely to obstruct views of the solar eclipse in places such as Boston.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstruct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstruct
Verb
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Removing opportunities for public commentary could impede the department’s ability to operate in the public’s interest, according to experts who spoke with Reuters.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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The charges were first dropped a few weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term in part because the case would impede Adams’ ability to do his job as mayor, including cooperating with Trump’s immigration crackdown, the Justice Department’s new acting deputy attorney general wrote.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The current junta similarly blocked relief in 2023 after Cyclone Mocha, denying visas to aid workers and holding up aid packages in customs.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
3 Apr. 2025
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Experience blocking: Parents can now block specific games and experiences.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Arbitrary rules shouldn’t hinder deserved recognition.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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Objections from the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), however, may hinder plans for the new landing pads on the South Pacific atoll.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Likewise, in the United States, the obsession with Russian interference and the madcap speculation that Trump is a Kremlin asset have helped occlude many of the domestic problems that made Trump’s homegrown victory possible.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
21 May 2019
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And, in every case, banal commentary is slowly occluding the art, seeping into it in boldface titles or explainers that speak over the sound or cover the image.—
Namwali Serpell,
The New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Aly Song | Reuters Trump's tariffs on China are already hampering Christmas sales.—
Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger,Jeff Cox,Christina Wilkie,Erin Doherty,Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
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The deep budget cuts at HHS have also hampered the nation’s disease-detection capacity and pandemic preparedness with respect to pathogens such as bird flu, according to experts.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Mariah Carey just pulled a classic mom move by embarrassing her teenage son in front of his friends.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
5 Apr. 2025
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The leaking was intended to embarrass Bork, whose nomination was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Senate albeit for reasons unrelated to his rental list.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obstruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstruct. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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