stumbling block
noun
stum·bling block
ˈstəm-bliŋ- 
1
: an obstacle to progress
2
: an impediment to belief or understanding : perplexity
Examples of stumbling block in a Sentence
Lack of funds is a major stumbling block to the project.
My plans hit a stumbling block.
Recent Examples on the Web
For modern leaders, ego can be both a motivator and a stumbling block.
—
Antonis Kocheilas, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The terrain is thick with gatekeepers, barriers and stumbling blocks that make getting any project off the ground a sysphean task.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Cuts to Medicaid are a stumbling block for GOP moderates and conservatives alike, who represent districts that make ample use of the federal health care program.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2025
The cost of Isak could prove a stumbling block (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Were Sesko or another long-term target available in the summer, things might have been different, but Arsenal did not feel there were attackers on the market who represented clear upgrades, so strengthened other areas.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
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Antonis Kocheilas, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
The terrain is thick with gatekeepers, barriers and stumbling blocks that make getting any project off the ground a sysphean task.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Cuts to Medicaid are a stumbling block for GOP moderates and conservatives alike, who represent districts that make ample use of the federal health care program.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2025
The cost of Isak could prove a stumbling block (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Were Sesko or another long-term target available in the summer, things might have been different, but Arsenal did not feel there were attackers on the market who represented clear upgrades, so strengthened other areas.
—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stumbling%20block. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stumbling block
noun
stum·bling block
ˈstəm-bliŋ-
1
: an obstacle to belief or understanding
2
: an obstacle to progress
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