obstructed

Obstructed is an adjective used to describe something that blocks, hinders, or impedes passage, movement, or progress. The term can apply to physical blockages as well as to figurative barriers, such as obstructed views or obstructed processes. The word derives from the Latin obstruere, formed from ob- "against" and struere "to pile up"; the English form uses the past participle obstructus.

In medicine, obstruction refers to a blockage in a hollow organ or airway that prevents normal flow. Examples include obstructed airways, intestinal obstruction, or obstructed labor (dystocia). Symptoms depend on location but may include pain, swelling, vomiting, or dyspnea. Treatment ranges from observation and supportive care to surgical removal of the blockage.

In law, obstruction commonly refers to obstruction of justice, which includes acts that impede the investigation or administration of law, such as tampering with evidence, interfering with witnesses, or misleading authorities. Other legal uses describe obstructive conduct in regulatory contexts.

In everyday language, obstructed describes something that hinders vision, hearing, or movement. An obstructed view is one where an obstacle blocks part of the field of vision. In engineering and transportation, obstructed roads or lines of sight can create safety concerns and may require clearance or rerouting. In physics and fluid dynamics, an obstructed flow describes a channel where objects partially block the path of a moving fluid, altering pressure and velocity.