hurdle

American  

[hur-dl] / ˈhɜr dl /

noun

1. a portable barrier over which contestants must leap in certain running races, usually a wooden frame with a hinged inner frame that swings down under impact to prevent injury to a runner who does not clear it.

2. (used with a singular verb) hurdles, a race in which contestants must leap over a number of such barriers placed at specific intervals around the track.

3. any of various vertical barriers, as a hedge, low wall, or section of fence, over which horses must jump in certain types of turf races, as a steeplechase, but especially an artificial barrier.

4. a difficult problem to be overcome; obstacle.

5. Chiefly British. a movable rectangular frame of interlaced twigs, crossed bars, or the like, as for a temporary fence.

6. a frame or sled on which criminals, especially traitors, were formerly drawn to the place of execution.

---

verb (used with object)

hurdles, present (3rd person singular) hurdled, past participle, past hurdling present participle

1. to leap over (a hurdle, barrier, fence, etc.), as in a race.

2. to master (a difficulty, problem, etc.); overcome.

3. to construct with hurdles; enclose with hurdles.

verb (used without object)

hurdles, present (3rd person singular) hurdled, past participle, past hurdling present participle

1. to leap over a hurdle or other barrier.

hurdle British  

/ ˈhɜːdəl /

noun

1. 1. athletics one of a number of light barriers over which runners leap in certain events

   2. a low barrier used in certain horse races

2. an obstacle to be overcome

3. a light framework of interlaced osiers, wattle, etc, used as a temporary fence

4. a sledge on which criminals were dragged to their executions

---

verb

1. to jump (a hurdle, etc), as in racing

2. (tr) to surround with hurdles

3. (tr) to overcome

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hurdler
  noun
• unhurdled
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have hurdled
  perfect
• has hurdled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are hurdling
  progressive
• has been hurdling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been hurdling
  perfect progressive
• is hurdling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am hurdling
  progressive 1st person singular
• hurdling
  participle
• hurdles
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had hurdled
  perfect
• were hurdling
  progressive plural
• was hurdling
  progressive singular
• had been hurdling
  perfect progressive
• hurdled
  simple
• hurdled
  participle

Future

• will hurdle
  simple
• will have hurdled
  perfect
• will have been hurdling
  perfect progressive
• will be hurdling
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of hurdle

before 900; Middle English hirdel, hurdel (noun), Old English hyrdel, equivalent to hyrd- + -el noun suffix; compare German Hürde hurdle; akin to Latin crātis hurdle, wickerwork, Greek kýrtos basket, cage, Sanskrit kṛt spin

Explanation

A hurdle is a barrier or other obstacle that a runner has to jump over during a race. If you trip on a hurdle, you probably won't win the race. When they're doing certain types of races, both human and horse athletes have to leap across hurdles (sometimes other animals do this too, like dogs and even rabbits). To do this is also to hurdle. There are physical hurdles, and then there are their figurative counterparts — those difficulties or hurdles that prevent you from progressing in your life.

Example Sentences

Griffin sees value in humanoids in reducing risk to human soldiers, but also says unpredictable environments remain a major hurdle.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Securing international support for its continued efforts to deal with that threat remains a diplomatic hurdle for Jerusalem.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

“This is a major hurdle and overcoming this barrier has been really the Holy Grail in neurology,” he says.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

But the would-be comeback faces a hurdle: striking a deal with the landowners, the Primm family.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

A hurdle trips me up, and I tumble to the ground.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Related Words

• complication
• difficulty
• handicap
• hindrance
• impediment
• snag
• stumbling block