plural hurdles
1
a
: one of a series of barriers to be jumped over in a race
b
: a race in which runners must jump over hurdles
He won a medal in the high hurdles.
—usually used with a singular verbThe hurdles is his best event.
2
: something that makes an achievement difficult
The company faces severe financial hurdles this year.
She overcame many hurdles [=obstacles] on her way to earning a college diploma.
hurdles; hurdled; hurdling
1
: to jump over (something) while running
The horse hurdled the fence.
2
: to deal with (a problem or difficulty) successfully
She hurdled [=overcame] many obstacles on her way to earning a college diploma.
Cite this Entry
“Hurdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hurdle. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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