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

A potential stumbling block to the proposals was that Highland Council believed the barracks would need to be licensed as a house of multiple occupancy.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 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

“The state bar case was once a stumbling block, but today it is a stepping stone,” she wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The failure of the Saudi Arabia-financed LIV Golf to secure world ranking points for its events has been a stumbling block since the upstart circuit launched in 2022.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

The writer had hit a stumbling block, that’s all.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

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