obstacle

[ob-stuh-kuhl]

noun

1. something that obstructs or hinders progress.

   Antonyms: help

obstacle

/ ˈɒbstəkəl /

noun

1. a person or thing that opposes or hinders something

2. a fence or hedge used in showjumping

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstacle¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstacle¹

C14: via Old French from Latin obstāculum, from obstāre, from ob- against + stāre to stand

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The battle between the state and its biggest city gets at one of the thorniest obstacles to solving the state’s housing problems.

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In survey after survey, fewer than one-third of financial advisers cite high fees and expenses as their chief obstacle to investing in alternative funds.

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His god lends a hand in many obstacles, he said, including infertility, relationship quandaries, financial worries and academic struggles.

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The obstacles aren’t just about setting up a business—where officials have recently tried to smooth the path—but also about closing one down if it doesn’t pan out.

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There’s another obstacle OpenAI will face in meeting its ambitious goals, and it might be the one thing more scarce than money: power.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• barrier 
• difficulty 
• disincentive 
• hardship 
• hindrance 
• hitch 
• hurdle 
• impediment 
• interference 
• obstruction 
• restriction 
• snag 
• stumbling block