encounter blocks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encounter blocks" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where one faces obstacles or challenges, particularly in problem-solving or project management scenarios. Example: "During the project, we encountered blocks that delayed our progress, requiring us to reassess our strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"Whenever we encounter blocks in our services we try to resolve them as quickly as possible," a spokeswoman, Jill Hazelbaker, said, "because we strongly believe that people everywhere should have the ability to communicate freely online.

The New York Times

The commentary to the main text is contained on horizontally printed pages that require turning the book another ninety degrees, this time counterclockwise, and you encounter blocks of closely printed text floating on the page, inviting a mood-dependent dive-in.

The New Yorker

Whenever we encounter blocks in our services we try to resolve them as quickly as possibly because we strongly believe that people everywhere should have the ability to communicate freely online.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

So you repeatedly encounter block-lettered signs by Daniel Joseph Martinez declaiming thoughts like "Probes your head like a prolonged accusation," which is apt under the circumstances.

The New York Times - Arts

When evacuees encounter blocked road segments or traffic congestion during their evacuations, they register these information to their mobile nodes and share it with other nodes through wireless communication.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Alternatively, replication forks can stall or collapse – the replisome is disassembled – without breakage when they encounter DNA blocks (e.g. UV light-induced DNA photoproducts, alkylated bases, abasic sites, or DNA-binding proteins), which uncouple the processes of DNA unwinding and synthesis.

BioEssays

The decoder may also encounter the block effect due to the fact that some DVC encoder designs use block-based video coding.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Thus, we propose that, in addition to the deleterious effects conferred by the absence of functional WASP, the patients' thymocytes expressing WASPΔVCA encounter a block to differentiation/ proliferation at the human counterpart of the murine DN3 stage (described above), and the block creates an unusually strong selective advantage for thymocytes bearing beneficial somatic mutations.

Plosone

In the mid-1990's, it was not uncommon to encounter a block of underperforming Long Island wines.

The New York Times

On that incredibly hot day in 1985, we encountered road blocks on the way to Stonehenge and ended up marooned on farmland seven miles from the site.

The Guardian - Arts

Last Saturday, nearly a decade after that first encounter, Saunders blocked two penalty kicks to help UMBC win the America East championship, 4-2 in a shootout.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "encounter blocks", ensure the context clearly indicates the nature of the obstacles. Be specific about whether they are physical, metaphorical, or systemic.

Common error

Avoid phrasing like "Blocks were encountered". Instead, use active voice: "We encountered blocks". This makes your writing more direct and engaging.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encounter blocks" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the act of facing or experiencing obstacles. The phrase describes the experience of impediments in one's path. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this is a correct and usable expression.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "encounter blocks" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's primarily used in news, media and scientific contexts to describe the act of facing obstacles. While not exceedingly common, it serves to communicate that challenges or impediments are being experienced. For alternative phrasing, consider ""face obstacles"" or "meet challenges". When using this phrase, clarity and context are key to ensure the nature of the obstacles is well understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

face obstacles

Replaces "encounter" with "face", maintaining the core meaning of confronting difficulties.

meet challenges

Substitutes both "encounter" and "blocks" with more general terms for facing difficulties.

run into problems

Uses a more informal phrasing while retaining the sense of unexpectedly facing difficulties.

experience difficulties

Offers a more formal and general way to express facing problems.

face setbacks

Replaces "blocks" with "setbacks", emphasizing delays or impediments to progress.

confront barriers

Substitutes "encounter" and "blocks" with synonyms that suggest more significant obstacles.

hit roadblocks

Maintains the "roadblock" metaphor but uses a different verb.

come up against obstacles

A more verbose but equally valid way to express the same concept.

find impediments

Uses a more formal tone and emphasizes the hindering nature of the "blocks".

stumble upon hurdles

Implies an unexpected or accidental encounter with obstacles.

FAQs

How can I use "encounter blocks" in a sentence?

You can use "encounter blocks" to describe facing obstacles or difficulties in a project, process, or situation. For instance, "During the project, we "encountered blocks" that delayed our progress".

What's a more formal way to say "encounter blocks"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "experience difficulties" or "confront barriers". These alternatives maintain a professional tone while expressing the same core concept.

Are there any synonyms for "encounter blocks" that imply unexpected difficulties?

Yes, "run into problems" or "stumble upon hurdles" suggest that the difficulties were unforeseen or accidental.

Is it better to use "encounter blocks" or "face obstacles"?

Both "encounter blocks" and "face obstacles" are valid. "Encounter blocks" might imply more specific or tangible impediments, while "face obstacles" is a more general term for confronting challenges.