hurdle 1 of 2

noun

ˈhər-dᵊl How to pronounce hurdle (audio)
Definition of hurdlenext
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult the many hurdles he had to overcome on the road to success

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hurdle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to leap

Related Words
2
as in to overcome

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hurdle
Noun
The utility still faces hurdles, including additional applications still pending before the FCC, and a federal court case. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 In the men's 110 hurdles, there's Ja’Kobe Tharp, the standout from Auburn who broke the world record in the event at the NCAA championships last month. — ABC News, 4 July 2026
Verb
These events, almost always streamed or televised, were suddenly hurdling toward obsolescence — one of many casualties inflicted by the transfer portal and NIL. — David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026 Tech companies are hurdling toward a goal of artificial general intelligence, or AGI—technology that matches or exceeds human cognitive abilities. — Jake Angelo, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hurdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurdle
  1. obstacle
  2. leap
  3. overcome
  4. barrier
  5. jump
  6. surmount
  7. skip
  8. best
Noun
  • But even Johnson is not immune to the bruising consequences of dealing with a president who critics say treats Congress as an obstacle, instead of an equal — frequently flexing his power through executive orders.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Crews can drive directly into rivers or lakes without installing additional equipment, allowing the vehicle to continue moving even when water obstacles stand in the way.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026
Definition of obstacle
Verb
  • When Jackson asked if anybody wanted to get a photo in the field, Willis was the only one to leap out of the trolley.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Then, two batters later, reliever Kyle Hurt threw a four-seam fastball down the middle of the plate, and Machado rocketed the pitch to the center field wall beyond the grasp of a leaping Pages.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of leap
Verb
  • The rookie point guard overcame early shooting struggles to lead all scorers with 25 points.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
  • The telecommunications giant’s fight to end landline service is playing out in the FCC and federal court, amid an underlying battle over how much power the agency has to overcome decisions by states.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • The laminate reinforces the glass to create a shatter-resistant barrier, preventing shards of glass from flying out during extreme weather.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Staffers wheeled the barriers over from the adjacent University of Washington baseball complex.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of barrier
Verb
  • The blaze remained confined to the wrecking yard property, despite briefly jumping a fence and igniting vegetation to the west.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • His father, Brian Cohn, jumped into the pool to try to pull him out, but the suction from the drain was too strong.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • While wearables were already a hard enough curve to convince people on regarding constant data collection, embedding sensors and ways to collect data inside people’s homes will be an even higher threshold to surmount.
    — Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • However, there are still some hurdles to surmount, particularly financing.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 27 June 2026
Definition of surmount
Verb
  • Maison Margiela is also skipping the schedule, after last showing couture in July 2025, when creative director Glenn Martens presented his debut for the house.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • The Dodgers, however, could still decide to have Ohtani skip his last pitching start before the All-Star break.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of skip
Verb
  • In his most recent outing, Machado Garry bested former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in November.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Gill, 26, had bested German great Manuel Neuer in a penalty shootout in the previous round.
    — Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026
Definition of best

Browse Nearby Words

hunt (through)
hurdle
hurdled
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Cite this Entry

“Hurdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurdle. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hurdle

Nglish: Translation of hurdle for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hurdle

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