as in hurdles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
stumbling on all the obstacles along the path
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Recent Examples of obstacles
But some of the obstacles to growth in Half Moon Bay are self-imposed.
—
John Ramos, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The robot can respond to voice commands and is programmed to keep safe distances from people and obstacles.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Beneath the surface, however, Bohm has faced obstacles and oddities, including a frightening elbow infection and a viral social media post touting his generosity that was untrue.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Vicaria identified sourcing, consistency in fiber quality, and supply chain alignment as some of the most pressing obstacles.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Some people, though, despite such obstacles, seem to be expert finishers.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
During his Variety and CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey in mid-February, Chalamet weighed in on the obstacles various art forms face in modern times.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
While Haiti is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean, the saying is often used to reflect the immense and constant obstacles Haiti has had to overcome.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
John Ramos, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The robot can respond to voice commands and is programmed to keep safe distances from people and obstacles.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Beneath the surface, however, Bohm has faced obstacles and oddities, including a frightening elbow infection and a viral social media post touting his generosity that was untrue.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Vicaria identified sourcing, consistency in fiber quality, and supply chain alignment as some of the most pressing obstacles.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Some people, though, despite such obstacles, seem to be expert finishers.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
During his Variety and CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey in mid-February, Chalamet weighed in on the obstacles various art forms face in modern times.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
While Haiti is the most mountainous country in the Caribbean, the saying is often used to reflect the immense and constant obstacles Haiti has had to overcome.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstacles
Noun
-
Other giants — John Romero of Doom and Glen Schofield of Dead Space — have had to rethink games because of business hurdles and deals falling through.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Last year, Utah became the first state in the country to pass legislation eliminating regulatory hurdles for the installation of plug-in solar panels.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Public Works Department was staging equipment, working to clear debris from roads and inspecting drainages for obstructions ahead of the next storm’s arrival Thursday night.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Currently, the Port Authority pays to have obstructions removed.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Supporters emphasize election integrity, while opponents warn about potential barriers to participation.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Winhusen envisions a future where GLP-1 drugs help with one of the most difficult barriers to successful medical treatment — keeping people in treatment.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But often those intentions stumble into a political quagmire where democratic dreams turn into civil war, once-compliant dictators become embarrassments and American soldiers return home in body bags.—
Tim Sullivan,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
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While the turnout had indeed been strong, the decision also came across as an attempt to steady the narrative after a series of logistical embarrassments, reframing disruption as demand.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obstacles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstacles. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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