block
gb/blˈɑk/ us/blˈɑk/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
City area between streets
A part of a city with streets all around it.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [number] blocks [direction] from [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'block' with 'square' or 'district', which can refer to larger or differently defined areas.
Synonyms
city square (Refers to a specific open public space, not just any city block.)
Antonyms
open field (An undeveloped area without streets or buildings.)
Collocations
city block
|walk a block
|two blocks away
|around the block
|block party
Themes
daily life
|travel
|geography
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The coffee shop is just two blocks from here.
- They walked around the block to get some fresh air.
- Her apartment is on the next block over from the library.
Learner examples
- The bank is one block from my house.
- We walked three blocks to the park.
- The school is on the same block as the store.
Verb
A2
action
2
Stop movement or progress
To stop someone or something from going ahead or doing something.
Usage pattern:
to block [something/someone] from [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'block' with 'lock', but 'lock' means to secure something, not to stop movement physically.
Synonyms
obstruct (Slightly more formal and often used for physical barriers.)
Antonyms
clear (Means to remove obstacles and allow movement.)
Collocations
block the road
|block access
|block a shot
|block someone's way
Themes
daily life
|conflict
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Police blocked the road after the accident.
- He blocked her from entering the room.
- The defender blocked the shot at the last second.
Learner examples
- A car blocked the street.
- She blocked him from going inside.
- The player blocked the ball.
Noun
A2
entity
3
Solid piece of material
A hard piece of material, usually square or rectangular.
Synonyms
cube (Specifically refers to a shape with equal sides, not all blocks are cubes.)
Antonyms
powder (Represents a loose, fine material instead of a solid piece.)
Collocations
wooden block
|ice block
|concrete block
Themes
construction
|toys
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The children played with wooden blocks.
- They used concrete blocks to build the wall.
- A block of ice was delivered to the kitchen.
Learner examples
- I have a block of wood.
- The kids play with blocks.
- We saw a big block of ice.
Noun
B1
entity
4
Obstacle preventing movement or progress
Something that stops people, things, or ideas from moving or happening.
Synonyms
barrier (Often physical, but also used metaphorically.)
Antonyms
pathway (A route that allows movement without obstruction.)
Collocations
mental block
|road block
|block in negotiations
Themes
daily life
|conflict
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The fallen tree created a block in the road.
- He has a mental block when it comes to math.
- There was a block in the negotiations.
Learner examples
- The tree made a block in the road.
- I have a block in my mind for names.
- The talks stopped because of a big block.
Verb
B1
action
5
Prevent contact or messages
To stop someone from calling, messaging, or seeing your posts online.
Usage pattern:
to block [someone] on [platform]
Synonyms
ban (Often used for official prohibition, not personal communication control.)
Antonyms
unblock (To remove restrictions and allow contact again.)
Collocations
block a number
|block someone on social media
Themes
technology
|relationships
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- She blocked him on Instagram after their argument.
- You can block unwanted calls on your phone.
- He was blocked from commenting on the forum.
Learner examples
- I blocked him on Facebook.
- You can block spam calls.
- She blocked me after I sent many messages.
Grammar
Dictionary form
block
IPA
GB/blˈɑk/
US/blˈɑk/
Syllables & stress
block (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (block)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: block
- Plural: blocks
Verb
- Base: block
- 3rd Person Singular: blocks
- Present Participle: blocking
- Past: blocked
Word family
Expressions
around the block
1/ɚˈaʊnd ðə blˈɑk/
fixed phrase
Walk or travel along surrounding streets
To go along the streets that form a circle around one city block.
Examples
- Let's take a walk around the block before dinner.
- The kids rode their bikes around the block.
chip off the old block
1/t͡ʃˈɪp ˈɔf ðə ˈoʊld blˈɑk/
idiom
informal
Person similar to parent
Someone who is very much like one of their parents in looks or behavior.
Examples
- He's a real chip off the old block, just like his father.
- She’s hardworking—a chip off the old block.
road block
1/ɹˈoʊd blˈɑk/
fixed phrase
Barrier stopping vehicles on road
A barrier on a road that stops cars from going through.
Examples
- Police set up a road block after the robbery.
- We were delayed by a road block on the highway.
writer's block
1/ɹˈaɪtɚz blˈɑk/
fixed phrase
Difficulty producing writing ideas
When a writer cannot think of what to write next.
Examples
- She’s suffering from writer’s block and hasn’t written in weeks.
- He overcame his writer’s block by taking a break.