obstacles

noun

plural of obstacle
as in hurdles
something that makes movement or progress difficult stumbling on all the obstacles along the path

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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 obstacles The robot dogs use two LiDAR sensors and four fisheye cameras to spot obstacles and navigate their surroundings. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026 What to avoid Certain types of debt can create obstacles down the road. — Jayna Rohslau,jasmin Suknanan,senitra Horbrook, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026 Krasner declined to elaborate on what those legal obstacles are. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026 The Republican faced several obstacles heading into Tuesday night. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026 But the world was deprived of this Minimalist presentation of Little Richard when the project foundered at the end of the decade amid financial obstacles and the difficulties of coordinating its all-star cast. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026 But the thing that unites all their work, across all phases of production, is a persistence to muscle it past whatever obstacles and challenges lie in its path. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2026 Amazon Watch, a nonprofit focused on environmental protection and Indigenous rights, also welcomed Lula’s victory while warning of legislative obstacles. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 While a personalized approach is based on the fact that every cancer is unique, some cancer types are likely to present their own obstacles to mRNA vaccines. — Mike McRae 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstacles
  1. hurdles
  2. obstructions
  3. barriers
  4. embarrassments
Noun
  • The team has been working ever since to clear the many geotechnical, biological and cultural hurdles that make developing anything in the high desert so challenging.
    — Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But hurdles can loom even higher for a small brand trying to expand to a distant land — like Boise.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurdles
Noun
  • Look for structural integrity, a smooth spinning blade with no obstructions from tape or cardboard, and no unusual sounds or vibrations.
    — John Alexander, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Police reported 26 arrests during Wednesday night’s operations and said all roads were clear of obstructions Thursday morning.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstructions
Noun
  • The club aims to address barriers to its adoption, including production scale, processing compatibility and cost competitiveness.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Sociologist Stulberg argues that despite substantial barriers, creatives and athletes are changing American culture through their contributions to arts, sports and politics, working to win the culture war for LGBTQ+ social justice.
    — Gina Webb, AJC.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of barriers
Noun
  • Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026
  • The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Definition of embarrassments

Browse Nearby Words

obstacle
obstacles
obstetrician
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Cite this Entry

“Obstacles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstacles. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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