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

But mortgage rates remain a major stumbling block, despite having fallen in recent months.

From The Wall Street Journal

Negotiations over a technology deal between the UK and US have stalled due to stumbling blocks in wider trade negotiations between the two sides.

From BBC

Ask them to evaluate what worked and how, and where they encountered stumbling blocks and why.

From The Wall Street Journal

Potential stumbling blocks include the release of heaps of economic data delayed by the government shutdown, which could point to further weakness in the labor market or reinforce the stickiness of inflation.

From MarketWatch

Territory has emerged as one of the main stumbling blocks to a deal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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