obstacle course

noun

: a military training course filled with obstacles (such as hurdles, fences, walls, and ditches) that must be negotiated

broadly : a series of obstacles that must be overcome

Examples of obstacle course in a Sentence

We finally made it through the bureaucratic obstacle course and got our visas.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did the wheels maneuver easily around our makeshift obstacle course of cones (representing the hundreds of fellow airport travelers around you, looking for their gates, waiting in bathroom lines, and standing in the middle of the walkway for no apparent reason)? —

Madison Yauger, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Kids will love playing on the giant inflatable Aqua Park, which is like an obstacle course on the water. —

Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024 The border collie is also known for its intelligence, with the breed popular in training and obstacle courses, and as a working breed. —

Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 These are also great for those competing in an obstacle course race, like a Spartan, or for long hikes. —

Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for obstacle course

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of obstacle course was in 1942

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Obstacle course.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obstacle%20course. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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