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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a world racing toward electrified transportation, one stubborn roadblock remains – limited charging infrastructure. Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025 Tahsin Mansour, once mayor of the Palestinian village of Azzoun, now lives isolated by war and a roadblock that turned his home into an enclave. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025 Early financial planning can also help avoid major roadblocks during crises later on in life, D’Alleva Valas said. Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025 Some, like Elon Musk’s Tesla, have hit roadblocks this year. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roadblock

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of roadblock was in 1913

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roadblock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadblock. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on roadblock

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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