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
Advertisement World & Nation Israel faces deeper isolation after Netanyahu is targeted for arrest by ICC
Nov. 21, 2024
Aid groups say the looting is one of many obstacles to getting food and other vital aid to the territory’s 2.3 million Palestinians.
—Wafaa Shurafa and Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
And while Biden never used the bully pulpit to push for it, Manchin and Sinema were the chief obstacles to any kind of filibuster carve-out for voting rights or codifying Roe after the Dobbs disaster.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But there was at least one big obstacle to making Gladiator II: The film’s hero, Russell Crowe’s Maximus, dies at the end of Gladiator.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
There were so many obstacles that could have took them another route.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, SPIN, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obstacle 
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.
Wafaa Shurafa and Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
And while Biden never used the bully pulpit to push for it, Manchin and Sinema were the chief obstacles to any kind of filibuster carve-out for voting rights or codifying Roe after the Dobbs disaster.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But there was at least one big obstacle to making Gladiator II: The film’s hero, Russell Crowe’s Maximus, dies at the end of Gladiator.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
There were so many obstacles that could have took them another route.
—Julian Roberts-Grmela, SPIN, 20 Nov. 2024
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 28 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share