Meaning & use
blocking
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The planned positioning and movement of actors on a stage or set during a performance.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: The blocking was complicated.
Patterns
- the blocking of a scene
- blocking for a play
The director spent the morning working on the blocking of the opening scene.
Good blocking helps the audience see all the action clearly.
The actors rehearsed the blocking until it felt natural.
noununcountablesport
The act of obstructing an opponent's movement in a sport.
Grammar: Also uncountable; common in sports contexts.
Patterns
- blocking in football
- illegal blocking
His blocking in the final quarter helped the team win.
The referee called a penalty for blocking.
She is known for her strong blocking at the net.
Common combinations
- stage blocking
- The stage blocking was designed to highlight the main character.
- blocking rehearsal
- We have a blocking rehearsal tomorrow afternoon.
- blocking scheme
- The coach explained the new blocking scheme to the players.
- blocking position
- The actor moved to his blocking position before the scene began.
Synonyms and how they differ
- staging
- Staging is a broader term that includes set design and overall presentation, while blocking focuses specifically on actors' movements.
- obstruction
- Obstruction is often used for illegal blocking in sports, whereas blocking can be legal or illegal depending on the rules.
Word family
Commonly confused: blocking or blockage?
blocking vs blockage
A blockage is something that blocks a pipe or passage, not the arrangement of actors.
Practice
The director worked on the ______ of the scene to make sure the actors were in the right places.
Choose one answer.
Blocking refers to the planned movement of actors. Blockage means an obstruction, block is a noun or verb, and blocked is an adjective or past tense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “blocking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.