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

SpaceX’s only profitable arm is Starlink, but investors see roadblocks ahead for the unit and are being asked to put their trust in Musk. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 June 2026

Some of these molecules act like roadblocks, slowing immune cells down. —Charles J. Dimitroff, The Conversation, 12 June 2026

However, the club ran into a roadblock Wednesday night. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026

Demonstrations have been concentrated in and around major population centers, including La Paz and neighboring El Alto, where roadblocks have periodically disrupted transportation networks and the movement of fuel and goods. —Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 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