obstacle
Americannoun
noun
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a person or thing that opposes or hinders something
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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.
From Maratea, a train to Bari was the next obstacle.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Launch costs, however, are still a major obstacle holding firms back from producing at scale in orbit, as well as from pursuing other ventures.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
One perceived obstacle keeps surfacing in conversations at CERAWeek: the process of obtaining permits for building or expanding energy infrastructure.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Turn right, as the map tells you to do, and you’ll encounter decaying sidewalks, with cracked and buckled concrete that turns a modest uphill walk into an obstacle course.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
It appeared, then, that her father would throw no obstacle in the way of Rosamond’s union with St. John.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
