Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Obstruct for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Obstruct" — verb, pronounced /əbˈstrʌkt/, with the stress on "struct".
Narrator: To obstruct is to block a way, or to prevent something from happening.
Narrator: In plain English, get in the way.
Narrator: It comes from Latin obstruere, to build against.
Narrator: A common collocation is "obstruct the traffic", which describes blocking a road.
Narrator: It differs from "delay", because obstruct actively blocks.
Narrator: In a second sense, "obstructing the police" is a legal offence.
Narrator: Law, driving, sport and medicine use the word.
Narrator: So remember: obstruct means block.
Speaker A: Why did the van get a ticket?
Speaker B: It OBSTRUCTED the driveway! From Latin obstruere.
Speaker A: For long?
Speaker B: An hour.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "Don't obstruct the fire exit", safety. "The defender obstructed him", sport. "Obstructing an investigation", law.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Never obstruct fire exits, even briefly.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Block is its twin, hinder its cousin, and impede an alternative — yet obstruct keeps its stubborn charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "obstruct" in AI prompts — useful for safety checks and UI design.
Speaker A: How for safety?
Speaker B: Inspections.
Prompt: Create a checklist confirming no fire exits are obstructed.
Speaker A: And UI?
Speaker B: Popups.
Prompt: Make sure the cookie banner does not obstruct the main button on mobile.
Speaker A: Could it help parking?
Speaker B: Yes, for reports.
Prompt: Build a form to report cars obstructing driveways.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Law.
Prompt: Explain what counts as obstructing a police officer in plain English.
Obstruct — meaning in Arabic & definition More O courses GL Dictionary