obstacle
Americannoun
noun
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a person or thing that opposes or hinders something
-
a fence or hedge used in showjumping
Related Words
Obstacle, obstruction, hindrance, impediment refer to something that interferes with or prevents action or progress. An obstacle is something, material or nonmaterial, that stands in the way of literal or figurative progress: Lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement. An obstruction is something that more or less completely blocks a passage: A blood clot is an obstruction to the circulation. A hindrance keeps back by interfering and delaying: Interruptions are a hindrance to one's work. An impediment interferes with proper functioning: an impediment in one's speech.
Etymology
Origin of obstacle
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin obstāculum, equivalent to obstā(re) “to face, block, hinder” ( ob- ob- + stāre stand ) + -culum -cle 2
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.
I designed a personal computing triathlon to find out: a swim through dozens of browser tabs, a 3-D cycling obstacle course and an agentic AI run.
The Iran war had turned one of the world’s most rarefied sports into a high-stakes evacuation mission—one that would be filled with logistical obstacles.
“Today’s executive orders get at the root of the housing affordability problem by eliminating obstacles to build more homes and providing better access to financing,” Bill Owens, the trade group’s chairman, said in a statement.
From Barron's
Saint Le Fort was put down after falling at the final obstacle during the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
From BBC
The Sony and Honda joint venture is in the midst of legal obstacles as it aims to build a solid reputation.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
