Spanish word

bloqueo

Pronunciation

IPA/bloˈkeo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounroadblock

Example

Hay un bloqueo en la carretera.

There is a roadblock on the road.

Illustration for bloqueo (roadblock)

More examples

Cuando intento escribir, sufro un bloqueo mental.

When I try to write, I suffer a mental block.

Core concept

A barrier that stops people, vehicles, information, or processes from moving forward.

Common phrases

  • bloqueo mental

    mental block

Similar words

atasco: Long traffic jam on a road where cars are stuck and form an extended queue.
embotellamiento: Dense, bottlenecked traffic where vehicles are tightly packed and unable to move.
interrupción: Temporary halting of an ongoing activity or service, causing it to stop midstream.
obstrucción: Physical blockage that closes a passage or pipe so objects or flow cannot pass.

Definition in Spanish

Situación en que algo queda cerrado o detenido y no permite el tránsito, el paso de información o el funcionamiento normal.

Word origin

From Spanish bloque plus the noun-forming suffix -eo, with bloque borrowed from Old French bloc and ultimately from Low German/Dutch blok meaning 'block', so bloqueo names the state of being blocked.

Usage tips

  • Frequently used with de to specify what is blocked (for example, 'bloqueo de carreteras', 'bloqueo de información') and applied to both physical and abstract stoppages.

Other meanings

  • obstructionnoun
  • blockagenoun
  • hindrancenoun

Opposites

  • desbloqueounblockingnoun
  • flujoflownoun

Related words

  • bloqueadorblocking devicenoun
  • desbloquearunblockverb

Word lists with this word