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

These economic roadblocks aren’t unique to the GardenWalk and its developers, Lyster said. —Victoria Le, Oc Register, 22 Dec. 2025

Local officials who have faced major roadblocks from SB 180 are praising DiCeglie’s new bill. —Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025

In the heat of awards season, Hollywood’s prestigious guild ceremonies have also become pit stops in the race to the Academy Awards, illuminating lane changes and roadblocks as the industry speeds toward Oscar night. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025

As the Chicago Bears' potential deal with Arlington Heights hits a roadblock, the team on Wednesday hinted at a possible move to Northwest Indiana. —Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025

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