3 syllables: ob, struct, ing. Stress on struct.
/əbsˈtɹʌktɪŋ/
Say it backObstructing refers to the act of blocking or hindering a path, movement, or progress, often by placing an obstacle in the way. In legal or formal contexts it can mean hindering investigation or access, while in everyday speech it denotes preventing something from happening. The term emphasizes deliberate barrier-creation or interruption rather than incidental interference.
"The construction crew was obstructing the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to detour."
"Protesters were obstructing the entrance to the building, delaying the event."
"The lawyer argued that the defendant’s actions were obstructing justice."
Break it as ob-STRUK-ting, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /əbˈstrʌk.tɪŋ/, UK /əbˈstrʌk.tɪŋ/, AU /əbˈstrʌk.tɪŋ/. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a strong /str/ cluster, followed by a lax /ɪŋ/. Ensure the /t/ is released clearly rather than swallowed.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing the primary stress as on the first syllable (ob-STRUK-ting without emphasis on the second). 2) Blunting the /str/ cluster, producing o-‘bstuck’ or ‘ob-strook-ting’. Correct by practicing the middle strong /str/ with a brief pause after the schwa and a crisp /t/ before the final /ɪŋ/. Over-articulation on the final syllable can also occur; keep /tɪŋ/ light but clear.
US UK AU all share /əbˈstrʌk.tɪŋ/ with stress on the second syllable, but rhoticity influences surrounding vowels: US often has a slightly more rhotic flavor in connected speech; UK may be closer to /ən/ reduced vowels in fast speech; AU tends to a more relaxed vowel quality and smoother linking in rapid speech. The /t/ may be dental-alveolar in careful speech; in fast, it can be a softer tap or even hold before /ɪŋ/ in some speakers.
The difficulty centers on the consonant cluster /str/ directly after a schwa and the /t/ release into a short /ɪŋ/. Keeping the /str/ sequence crisp without blurring into /st/ or diluting the vowel requires precise timing and tongue positioning: tip of the tongue high for the /t/ release, blade behind the upper teeth for /str/, and a compact jaw to maintain the schwa before the cluster.
A distinctive feature is the strong, immediate /str/ cluster following a non-stressed schwa, which can tempt a busier vowel than a clean /ə/. You’ll want to keep the /b/ fully voiced and not voice loss before the /str/; the /t/ should be released crisply into /ɪŋ/ rather than assimilating with the nasal.
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Obstructing comes from the verb obstruct, which traces back to the Latin obstruere, formed from ob- (toward, against) + struere (to build, pile up). In Latin, obstruere carried the sense of piling up in front of something to block passage. The Old French adopted the term as obstruire, with similar meanings, and may appear in medieval legal and military language. English absorbed obstruct in the 14th-15th centuries, primarily in a literal sense of blocking a path or flow. By the 17th-18th centuries, obstructing appeared in more figurative contexts—obstructing laws, processes, or investigations—reflecting a broader sense of hindering or interfering. The present participle obstructing began to be used to describe ongoing or continuous blocking actions, especially in legal or procedural contexts where deliberate interference is considered. Across centuries, the core meaning has remained stable: to stand in the way of passage, progress, or clarity, with figurative expansions into obstruction of justice and administrative processes.
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Words that rhyme with "obstructing"
-ing sounds
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