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
Vicki Bloom and B. B. Green-FieldSynonyms
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
As businesses adapted to new ways of working, obstacles were removed for employees who had previously found their options limited.
—Gene Myers, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Poor planning can jeopardize access to space, materials, and equipment, leading to obstacles that drain time and money.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
The main obstacle to government action at the scale this crisis demands are corporate polluters as one of the biggest financial spenders on elections and lobbying in California.
—Mike Young, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2025
The relatively steady labor market now appears to be approaching some obstacles in the road, with a pullback in hiring, a high interest rate environment and a cadre of sweeping policy actions from the White House.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for obstacle 
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Gene Myers, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Poor planning can jeopardize access to space, materials, and equipment, leading to obstacles that drain time and money.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
The main obstacle to government action at the scale this crisis demands are corporate polluters as one of the biggest financial spenders on elections and lobbying in California.
—Mike Young, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2025
The relatively steady labor market now appears to be approaching some obstacles in the road, with a pullback in hiring, a high interest rate environment and a cadre of sweeping policy actions from the White House.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for obstacle
Dictionary Entries Near obstacle
Cite this Entry
“Obstacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obstacle. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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