obstruction

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əbˈstrʌkʃən/ UK /əbˈstrʌkʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a thing that blocks a way or passage; the act of hindering

Surgeons removed the obstruction that had blocked the patient's airway.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a thing that blocks a way... blockagebarrier hindrance impediment obstacle barricade

Opposites

clearance passage assistance facilitation

Word family

Derived forms obstructionismobstructionist

Related forms obstruct obstructive structure

Etymology

From Latin obstructio ('a building up, blocking'), from obstruere ('to build against, block up'), from ob- plus struere ('to pile, build').

obstructio Latin struere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

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# obstruction

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əbˈstrʌkʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /əbˈstrʌkʃən/

## Meanings
1. a thing that blocks a way or passage; the act of hindering

## Examples
- Surgeons removed the obstruction that had blocked the patient's airway.

## Synonyms
- blockage
- barrier
- hindrance
- impediment
- obstacle
- barricade

## Antonyms
- clearance
- passage
- assistance
- facilitation

## Derived Forms
- obstructionism
- obstructionist

## Related Forms
- obstruct
- obstructive
- structure

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: obstructio
- Root: struere

## Etymology
From Latin obstructio ('a building up, blocking'), from obstruere ('to build against, block up'), from ob- plus struere ('to pile, build').

## AI Etymology
Obstruction comes from Latin obstructio ('a building up, blocking'), from obstruere ('to build against, block up'), from ob- plus struere ('to pile, build'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it denotes "a thing that blocks a way or passage; the act of hindering", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin obstructio and Latin struere. Derivative forms include obstructionism, obstructionist; related words include obstruct, obstructive, structure.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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obstruction

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