Obstruct.
Synonyms:
| arrest, | check, | embarrass, | interrupt, | stay, |
| bar, | choke, | hinder, | oppose, | stop. |
| barricade, | clog, | impede, | retard, | |
To obstruct is literally to build up against; the road is obstructed by fallen trees; the passage of liquid through a tube is obstructed by solid deposits. We may hinder one's advance by following and clinging to him; we obstruct his course by standing in his way or putting a barrier across his path. Anything that makes one's progress slower, whether from within or from without, impedes; an obstruction is always from without. To arrest is to cause to stop suddenly; obstructing the way may have the effect of arresting progress. Compare HINDER; IMPEDIMENT.
Antonyms:
| accelerate, | aid, | facilitate, | free, | open, | promote. |
| advance, | clear, | forward, | further, | pave the way for, |