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-FieldExamples 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
The branches of the military, which maintain their own communication networks, have their own obstacles.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
For Superman, that means preventing any of the negatives that do initially arise from becoming obstacles or bandwagon narratives in the press.
—Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
This grass chopper is easy to set up, runs quietly, boasts a solid battery life and automatic charging, and easily maps your mowing area (even with obstacles).
—PC Magazine, 12 July 2025
This debate poses an obstacle to any easy policy wins for the Trump administration on IVF.
—Lucy Tu, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstacle
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Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
For Superman, that means preventing any of the negatives that do initially arise from becoming obstacles or bandwagon narratives in the press.
—Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
This grass chopper is easy to set up, runs quietly, boasts a solid battery life and automatic charging, and easily maps your mowing area (even with obstacles).
—PC Magazine, 12 July 2025
This debate poses an obstacle to any easy policy wins for the Trump administration on IVF.
—Lucy Tu, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstacle
Cite this Entry
“Obstacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obstacle. Accessed 21 Jul. 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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