obstacle

noun

ob·​sta·​cle ˈäb-sti-kəl 

-ˌsti-

: something that impedes progress or achievement

Mosquitoes were a great obstacle to the building of the Panama Canal.

… elders … often facing daily medical, social, and psychological obstacles.

—Vicki Bloom and B. B. Green-Field

Synonyms

• balk
• bar
• block
• chain
• clog
• cramp
• crimp
• deterrent
• drag
• embarrassment
• encumbrance
• fetter
• handicap
• hindrance
• holdback
• hurdle
• impediment
• inhibition
• interference
• let
• manacle
• obstruction
• shackles
• stop
• stumbling block
• trammel

Examples of obstacle in a Sentence

He overcame the obstacles of poverty and neglect.

They must overcome a number of obstacles before the restaurant can be opened.

Lack of experience is a major obstacle for her opponent.

She swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is a path to preventing such a wrong turn, even if the path is strewn with obstacles and is uphill all the way. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025

Their change of heart reflects the inconvenient practical obstacles to suddenly cutting off access to a popular platform. —Johanna Costigan, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

Discrediting the science As the industry’s recruitment of spokespeople aimed to stem the tide of local gas bans, SoCalGas faced another obstacle: Mounting research that revealed the harmful health effects of gas stoves. —Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025

Despite those obstacles, Appiah couldn’t get enough of soccer. —Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin obstaculum, from obstare to stand in front of, from ob- in the way + stare to stand — more at ob-, stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing obstacle

• obstacle course
• obstacle race

Kids Definition

obstacle

noun

ob·​sta·​cle ˈäb-sti-kəl 

: something that stands in the way of progress or achievement : hindrance

drove around the obstacles in the road

didn't let shortness be an obstacle to a basketball career