stumbling block

American  

noun

1. an obstacle or hindrance to progress, belief, or understanding.

   Synonyms:

   bar, block, impediment, barrier, hurdle

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stumbling block British  

noun

1. any impediment or obstacle

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stumbling block Idioms  

1. A hindrance or obstacle, as in His lack of a degree is a real stumbling block to his advancement. This term originally meant “a tree stump over which one trips.” Its figurative use dates from the early 1500s.

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Etymology

Origin of stumbling block

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stumbling block

"I was a party planner for over 10 years and ... I was very sustainably focused. The final stumbling block for me was the balloon waste," she told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

One stumbling block: Rules that might once have offered guidance are gone, leaving individuals to puzzle out what’s appropriate for the workplace themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has a £40m release clause in his contract, although his £325,000-a-week deal, which runs until 2028, could prove a stumbling block.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Super Micro encountered a stumbling block in March, when co-founder Wally Liaw and other employees were charged with diverting $2.5 billion worth of Nvidia chips to China.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026

But the real stumbling block was the bases.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Related Words

• barrier
• complication
• deterrent
• difficulty
• drawback
• hindrance
• hitch
• hurdle
• impediment
• obstacle
• setback
• snag