obstruction
/əbˈstɹʌk.ʃən/noun
obstruction is spelled O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N: 11 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 13,897th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, obstruction means “The act of obstructing, or state of being obstructed” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of obstruction is obstructions.
How many letters and syllables are in obstruction?
| Letters | 11: O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.5 times per million words; the 13,897th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is obstruction?
Obstruction appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 13,897th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce obstruction?
- UK /əbˈstɹʌk.ʃən/
Obstruction has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-obstruction.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with obstruction?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as obstruction from its last stressed vowel (/ʌkʃən/, British pronunciation):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of obstruction
- obstructions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does obstruction mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of obstructing, or state of being obstructed.
- 2
Something which obstructs or impedes, either intentionally or unintentionally
The referee stopped play because of an obstruction by the defender.
- 3
The condition of having the natural powers obstructed in their usual course; the arrest of the vital functions; death.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Obstruction in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | obstruction |
| German | Obstruktion, Verhinderung, Blockierung, Störung , Sperre, Hindernis |
| Portuguese | obstrução |
| Spanish | obstrucción |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does obstruction come from?
From Latin obstructio (“hindrance”), from obstruo (“build against, block, stop”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).