Obstructed for Dummies

Obstructed is a word that describes a situation where something is blocking the way or path of something else. Have you ever tried to walk through a crowded room and there were so many people standing in your way that you couldn't easily get through? That's kind of like being obstructed. Imagine walking down a hallway and suddenly there's a big wall in front of you, making it impossible to go any further. That's another way to think about being obstructed.

When something is obstructed, it can't move freely or easily because there's something in the way preventing it. It's like when you're trying to see your favorite TV show, but someone is standing in front of the screen. That person is obstructing your view, making it difficult for you to see what's happening. Similarly, when a road is blocked by a fallen tree or a large object, it becomes obstructed and you can't drive through it. Obstructed can also mean that something is hidden or covered up, just like when a book is placed in front of a whiteboard, obstructing the teacher's writing.

Now, let's think about how we can use the word "obstructed" in different ways. For example, imagine you're playing a game of soccer, and you're the goalie. Your job is to stop the opposing team from scoring goals. Sometimes, when the players on the other team are really good at kicking the ball, they may try to shoot the ball towards the goal, but you, as the goalie, can jump up and block it with your hands. In that moment, you are obstructing their attempt to score a goal. Similarly, when you're building something with blocks and you place a block on top of another block, you are obstructing the space underneath, making it difficult for anything to fit there.

So, in simple terms, "obstructed" means that something is blocking the way or preventing something else from moving or happening easily. It can refer to physical objects blocking a path, like a wall or a fallen tree, or it can be used metaphorically to describe situations where something is hidden, covered up, or preventing progress. Now that you know what "obstructed" means, can you think of any other examples of things being obstructed?