obstacle

noun

ob·​sta·​cle ˈäb-sti-kəl 

-ˌsti-

: something that impedes progress or achievement

swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road

Lack of experience proved to be an obstacle in her job search.

… elders … often facing daily medical, social, and psychological obstacles.

—Vicki Bloom and B. B. Green-Field

Synonyms of obstacle

• hurdle
• obstruction
• embarrassment
• barrier

Examples of obstacle in a Sentence

He overcame the obstacles of poverty and neglect.

They must overcome a number of obstacles before the restaurant can be opened.

Lack of experience is a major obstacle for her opponent.

She swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road.

Recent Examples on the Web

With this framework in place, the robots can move with human-like agility, run, jump, and climb over obstacles in urban or natural environments. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026

Chinese tech giant Alibaba pledged additional resources in order to accelerate development of foundational AI models, after a third top executive left the company amid signs the country’s technological push is facing obstacles. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026

Popular culture has long elevated certain women by portraying others as rivals, obstacles or villains. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026

This season Sinatra wakes from her coma and faces a new obstacle in Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom). —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin obstaculum, from obstare to stand in front of, from ob- in the way + stare to stand — more at ob-, stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing obstacle

• obstacle course
• obstacle race

Kids Definition

obstacle

noun

ob·​sta·​cle ˈäb-sti-kəl 

: something that stands in the way of progress or achievement : hindrance

drove around the obstacles in the road

didn't let shortness be an obstacle to a basketball career