- to block (a road, passageway, etc) with an obstacle
- to make (progress or activity) difficult
- to impede or block a clear view of
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ob•struct /əbˈstrʌkt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
ob•struc•tive•ness, n. [uncountable]See -stru-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to block or close up, as by being in the way:The fallen rocks obstructed the road.
- to interrupt, slow down, or prevent the progress of:to face charges of obstructing justice.
ob•struc•tive•ness, n. [uncountable]See -stru-.
ob•struct
(əb strukt′),USA pronunciation v.t.
ob•struct′ed•ly, adv.
ob•struct′er, ob•struc′tor, n.
ob•struct′ing•ly, adv.
ob•struc′tive, adj.
ob•struc′tive•ly, adv.
ob•struc′tive•ness, ob•struc•tiv•i•ty
(ob′struk tiv′i tē),USA pronunciation n.
- to block or close up with an obstacle; make difficult to pass:Debris obstructed the road.
- to interrupt, hinder, or oppose the passage, progress, course, etc., of.
- to block from sight;
to be in the way of (a view, passage, etc.).
- Latin obstructus (past participle of obstruere to build or pile up in the way, bar). See ob-, construct
- 1605–15
ob•struct′er, ob•struc′tor, n.
ob•struct′ing•ly, adv.
ob•struc′tive, adj.
ob•struc′tive•ly, adv.
- 1. stop, choke, clog, hinder, impede, prevent; check, slow, retard, arrest.
- 1. encourage, further.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
obstruct /əbˈstrʌkt/ vb (transitive)
'obstruct' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bar
- barrage
- barrier
- block
- blockade
- clog
- close
- cloy
- cumber
- cut off
- dam
- embarrass
- filibuster
- gridlock
- hedge
- impede
- interfere
- interrupt
- occlude
- sandbag
- shut
- stonewall
- sudd
- traverse
- balk
- barricade
- blanket
- boom
- caltrop
- check
- choke
- discourage
- filter
- fore-check
- forestall
- foul
- freeze
- guard
- hamper
- hide
- hinder
- incommode
- inhibit
- jam
- let
- lumber
- obstruction
- obstruent
- oppilate
- oppose