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

This setup enabled the AI to navigate while encountering virtual obstacles, refining motion planning without risking collisions. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025

Cohosted alongside Mariano, the series sees the two men facing off through a series of unpredictable obstacles. —Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

The biggest obstacles to peace remain disagreements over post-war security guarantees for Ukraine and Russian demands that Kyiv cede the eastern region of Donbas. —Holly Ellyatt,dan Murphy, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025

Additional safeguards, including virtual obstacles and the ability to halt a run, were used to avoid collisions. —John Loeffler, Space.com, 11 Dec. 2025

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