Standard Lemma guide

occlude

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /əˈkluːd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To absorb, as a gas by a metal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

block passage through

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • obstruct the path

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: obstruct, obturate, impede, jam, block, close up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: impede, hinder

Narrower terms: blockade, block off, barricade, barricado, suffocate, stifle, asphyxiate, choke, tie up, dam, dam up, screen, block out, land up, earth up, block, stop, block up, bar, clog, choke off, clog up, back up, congest, foul

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin occlūdere, from ob (“before”) and claudere (“to shut”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: закривам (zakrivam) — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.
  • Hungarian: takar — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.
  • Hungarian: kitakar — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.
  • Hungarian: eltakar — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.
  • Latin: occlūdō — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.
  • Spanish: ocluir — to obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.