What does obstruction mean?
An obstruction is something that prevents movement, communication, progress, or action, or the act of doing so. It may be physical, as when a fallen tree blocks a road, or figurative, as when bureaucratic barriers prevent a project from moving forward. The term can also describe conduct intended to interfere with official proceedings, most notably in the expression “obstruction of justice.” In everyday use, “obstruction” is more formal than “blockage” or “hassle,” and it often suggests a persistent or deliberate impediment rather than a brief inconvenience. Because it combines the ideas of something being in the way and the process of being delayed or prevented, the word is useful whenever a situation involves interference with intended progress. It appears in ordinary descriptions of travel and construction, in political reporting, and in legal contexts.
nounAn act or instance of preventing something from happening or progressing, or something that blocks a path, process, or movement. In legal contexts, it refers to conduct that makes it difficult for a person or institution to carry out their duties.
- The act of preventing or delaying movement, action, or progress.
- A physical or abstract obstacle that blocks a route, process, or undertaking.
- Conduct intended to make it difficult for someone to perform official duties or obstruct the course of justice.
"The unexpected obstruction delayed the train for nearly an hour."
"The construction team worked around the obstruction without stopping the project."
"Her testimony was dismissed as an attempt to obstruct justice."
The plural is used for multiple barriers or instances of impeding action or progress.
"The engineers removed several obstructions from the old railway line."
From the Latin word for “build against,” obstruction began as the idea of putting something in the way — and still works as a barrier to progress.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does obstruction come from?
The word comes through Middle English and Old French from Latin obstructio, a noun formed from obstruere, “to build against” or “block.” The Latin verb combines ob-, meaning “against,” with struere, “to build,” giving it the sense of constructing something across another’s path. The same root later appears in English words such as obstruct, construction, destruction, and instruction, reflecting the broader idea of building or placing something in the way.
Related word forms
How obstruction is actually used
The word is relatively formal but widely understood. In legal and parliamentary contexts, it often denotes deliberate interference with an authorized process rather than an ordinary delay or inconvenience.
Easily confused with obstruction
An obstruction blocks or impedes action or movement, whereas destruction involves damaging or demolishing something so severely that it is ruined.
An obstruction is a practical hindrance, while a delusion is a mistaken belief or false impression.