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

Still, as bad actors get increasingly creative and learn how to evade the roadblocks thrown in their path, Spotify and other major streaming platforms have to continue combating the issue — and get more clever doing so. —Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 30 Mar. 2026

My overall goal is to remove roadblocks and foster an environment in which new discoveries are made that can improve people’s lives. —Nara Parameswaran, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026

However, a budget managed by Congress with limited long-term visibility, coupled with a slow contracting process hindered by bureaucracy, creates some roadblocks. —Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Instant Checkout may simply have had technical roadblocks. —Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 28 Mar. 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