roadblock

noun

road·​block ˈrōd-ˌbläk 

1

a

: a barricade often with traps or mines for holding up an enemy at a point on a road covered by fire

b

: a road barricade set up especially by law enforcement officers

2

: an obstruction in a road

3

: something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective

roadblock transitive verb

Examples of roadblock in a Sentence

That's the one roadblock to the plan.

roadblocks on the path to success

Recent Examples on the Web

With a Republican Legislature, Jolly might face some roadblocks to getting that done. — Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

But as is often the case in the US, politics remain a bigger roadblock than capital, hardware, or workforce. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Previous attempts to curb ICE activity in California have run into legal roadblocks after the White House sent the National Guard to quell protests in Los Angeles last year. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026

But complex, long-term construction projects can change drastically, or face insurmountable roadblocks, over their development cycles. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for roadblock

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

roadblock

noun

road·​block -ˌbläk 

: a blocking of a road (as by police officers)

Legal Definition

roadblock

noun

road·​block

: a road barricade set up by law enforcement officers especially for the purpose of detecting criminal activity