Illustration of hurdle
- hurdle 2a
1
a
: a portable panel usually of wattled withes and stakes used especially for enclosing land or livestock
b
: a frame or sled formerly used in England for dragging traitors to execution
2
a
: an artificial barrier over which racers must leap
knocked over a hurdle
b
hurdles plural, track and field
: any of various events in which racers must jump over a series of hurdles
won a medal in the high hurdles
The hurdles is his best event.
hurdled; hurdling
ˈhər-dᵊl-iŋ 
ˈhərd-liŋ
1
: to leap over especially while running (as in a sporting competition)
hurdling an obstacle in a steeplechase
Did you know?
Hurdle vs. Hurtle
Indistinguishable in speech, the words hurtle and hurdle can be a confusing pair.
Hurtle is a verb with two meanings: "to move rapidly or forcefully," as in "The stone was hurtling through the air," and "to hurl or fling," as in "I hurtled the stone into the air." Note that the first use is intransitive: the stone isn't hurtling anything; it itself is simply hurtling. The second use is transitive: something was hurtled—in this case, a stone.
Hurdle is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, its most common meanings have to do with barriers: the ones that runners leap over, and the metaphorical extension of these, the figurative barriers and obstacles we try to similarly overcome. The verb hurdle has two meanings, and they are directly related to these. It can mean "to leap over especially while running," as in "She hurdled the fence," and it can mean "to overcome or surmount," as in "They've had to hurdle significant financial obstacles." The verb hurdle is always transitive; that is, there's always a thing being hurdled, whether it be a physical obstacle or a metaphorical one.
Examples of hurdle in a Sentence
Noun
He won a medal in the high hurdles.
The company faces severe financial hurdles this year.
Verb
The horse hurdled the fence.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph Edgar, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The case will face significant hurdles, particularly because Gastineau and Favre are public figures whose interaction was recorded in front of a group of people.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
What was left unsaid: There’s a difference between Love practicing with a hard brace on his right knee and practicing to play like the back who can hurdle a defensive back or break a run 98 yards for a touchdown.
—Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurdle
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Noun
Even those who successfully raise initial capital face formidable hurdles in securing follow-on funding, often under pressure to demonstrate rapid growth and immediate profitability—expectations fundamentally misaligned with the long-term nature of early-stage venture building.
—Joseph Edgar, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The case will face significant hurdles, particularly because Gastineau and Favre are public figures whose interaction was recorded in front of a group of people.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Both are seen hurdling towards each other, fists outstretched, before the screen cuts to black.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
What was left unsaid: There’s a difference between Love practicing with a hard brace on his right knee and practicing to play like the back who can hurdle a defensive back or break a run 98 yards for a touchdown.
—Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurdle
Articles Related to hurdle
Cite this Entry
“Hurdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurdle. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hurdle
2 of 2 verb
hurdled; hurdling
ˈhərd-liŋ
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to leap over while running
the horse hurdled the fence
2
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