obstructive

/əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv/

//əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"obstructive" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“obstructive” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,515. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,515
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Causing obstructions.

Corpus desk

Index EN-obstructive · obstructive · English

obstructive · rank #30,515 · 17 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #30,515
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH Northamptonsh…

Nearest frequency peer: Northamptonshire (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “obstructive”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “obstructive” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

obstructive vs obstruction
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for obstructive
PropertyValue
Headwordobstructive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv/
Letters11
Frequency rank#30,515
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “obstructive”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).obstructivelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Northamptonshire” (#30,514), “nitrous” (#30,513), “Odell” (#30,517). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “obstructive” is #30,515. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around obstructive (IPA /əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #30,515 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Causing obstructions.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for obstructive, with forms such as "bostructive", "obbstructive", and "obsrtuctive". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "obstruction", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From obstruct + -ive. The correct English form is obstructive, spelled O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Causing obstructions.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how obstructive appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I wanted to see his report on me, but my manager was being obstructive.
  2. The obstructive tendency attributed to the knot in spiritual matters appears in a Swiss superstition that if, in sewing a corpse into its shroud, you make a knot on the thread, it will hinder the soul of the deceased on its passage to eternity.

Etymology

From obstruct + -ive.

This word in other languages

obstructif(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bostructive
  • obbstructive
  • obsrtuctive
  • obsstructive
  • obstrcutive
  • obstrructive
  • obstrucctive
  • obstrucitve
  • obstructiev
  • obstructivve
  • obstructtive
  • obstructvie
  • obstrutcive
  • obsttructive
  • obsturctive
  • obtsructive
  • osbtructive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of obstructive - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

bostructive2obbstructive1obsrtuctive2obsstructive1obstrcutive2obstrructive1obstrucctive1obstrucitve2
Edit distance from "obstructive"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "obstructive"?
"obstructive" is spelled O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv/.
What does "obstructive" mean?
As an adjective, "obstructive" means: Causing obstructions.
What words are commonly confused with "obstructive"?
"obstructive" is commonly confused with "obstruction". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "obstructive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "obstructive" is /əbˈstɹʌk.tɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "obstructive"?
From obstruct + -ive. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "obstructive", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

oscillation#30,523mesmerizing#30,500prospecting#30,550regrettable#30,564

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

inescapable17 variantsfantastical17 variantsdisingenuous17 variantssprinkling17 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list