roadblock

noun

road·​block ˈrōd-ˌbläk How to pronounce roadblock (audio)
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 Operations may be running smoothly one day and hit a major roadblock the next. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023 The roadblocks to Apple as a healthcare company Bloomberg shows an Apple that is at odds with itself over its place in health and fitness. Wes Davis, The Verge, 1 Nov. 2023 Whether by design or by accident, your house might include architectural quirks that present roadblocks. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2023 But one of the applications, from the corporate parent of NBC News, made an intriguing backup argument, one grounded in the text of a key roadblock to live television coverage: Rule 53 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Adam Liptak, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2023 Still, the larger business context that entertainment companies are facing remains a major roadblock. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Oct. 2023 Others, however, face discrimination and other roadblocks in seeking employment. Lev Facher, STAT, 9 Nov. 2023 Israel has accused Hamas fighters of imposing roadblocks preventing some of those people from leaving. Vivian Salama, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2023 Great rock stars create other rock stars, and burn through boundaries and roadblocks. Evan Minsker, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'roadblock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of roadblock was in 1913

Dictionary Entries Near roadblock

Cite this Entry

“Roadblock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadblock. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

roadblock

noun
road·​block -ˌbläk How to pronounce roadblock (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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