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

Two-factor authentication adds a serious roadblock. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Nov. 2025

Small put the project into motion several years ago, but quickly ran into some time-consuming roadblocks. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025

This could lead to nationwide roadblocks, increased police checks, and disruptions to travel, as well as additional restrictions on mobile networks and internet access. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025

Today, the same roadblock remains. —Moritz S. Graefrath, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 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