hurdle
Americannoun
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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.
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(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.
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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.
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a difficult problem to be overcome; obstacle.
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Chiefly British. a movable rectangular frame of interlaced twigs, crossed bars, or the like, as for a temporary fence.
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a frame or sled on which criminals, especially traitors, were formerly drawn to the place of execution.
verb (used with object)
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to leap over (a hurdle, barrier, fence, etc.), as in a race.
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to master (a difficulty, problem, etc.); overcome.
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to construct with hurdles; enclose with hurdles.
verb (used without object)
noun
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athletics one of a number of light barriers over which runners leap in certain events
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a low barrier used in certain horse races
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an obstacle to be overcome
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a light framework of interlaced osiers, wattle, etc, used as a temporary fence
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a sledge on which criminals were dragged to their executions
verb
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to jump (a hurdle, etc), as in racing
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(tr) to surround with hurdles
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(tr) to overcome
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hurdlesimple
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hurdlessimple
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have hurdledperfect
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has hurdledperfect
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am hurdlingprogressive
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are hurdlingprogressive
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is hurdlingprogressive
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have been hurdlingperfect progressive
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has been hurdlingperfect progressive
Past
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hurdledsimple
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had hurdledperfect
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was hurdlingprogressive
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were hurdlingprogressive
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had been hurdlingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing hurdle
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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This Feb. 29: 15 Words for "Leap"
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Might As Well Jump: Words For Leap Year
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Other big-priced winners this week have included 40-1 shot White Noise in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle while Home By The Lee triumphed in the Stayers' Hurdle at 33-1.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
"I think the horse is happy, I certainly am. It has been a tough old year, indeed bits in the middle were a little bit worrying," said Henderson after recording his 14th Christmas Hurdle win.
From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025
Peter Easterby: Three-time champion jumps trainer, won the Champion Hurdle on five occasions and the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
Appeared in the November 22, 2025, print edition as 'Powell Isn’t Only Hurdle For President on Rates'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025
When it came to being plumb contented there probably never was a soul on this earth that was the equal of Master Hurdle.
From A Plea for Old Cap Collier by Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
