as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only stumbling block to our move across the country was finding someone to adopt our cats
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Recent Examples of stumbling block
But over the past few years, Muslim authors have produced bracingly original stories that foreground faith as a cornerstone of identity rather than a stumbling block.
—
Hafsa Lodi, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
But getting hung up on the purity of beginning from the beginning is more likely to be a stumbling block than a source of pleasure.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
The change could prove a stumbling block for people who need to ensure that mail such as bill payments, taxes or voting ballots are postmarked by specific dates.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
However, one of the stumbling blocks on this pathway is borate, which is a family of common compounds found in seawater.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Hafsa Lodi, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
But getting hung up on the purity of beginning from the beginning is more likely to be a stumbling block than a source of pleasure.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
The change could prove a stumbling block for people who need to ensure that mail such as bill payments, taxes or voting ballots are postmarked by specific dates.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
However, one of the stumbling blocks on this pathway is borate, which is a family of common compounds found in seawater.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling block
Noun
-
The Sixers, however, hadn’t considered the circumstances, the stakes, the resilience of an opponent with far bigger fish to fry than a second-round obstacle.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
All of this creates significant obstacles to its use as fuel for nuclear weapons.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Montverde senior Jizelle Holland piled up points with runner-up finishes in both hurdles finals, a sixth in the triple jump and a leg on the winning relay.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Plantation senior Nyla Christian won the long jump and placed second in the 100 hurdles to lead a contingent of Broward and Palm Beach County athletes in a parade to the podium.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Coastal and eastern areas offer more dramatic settings, but come with greater risk from haze and obstruction.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 May 2026
-
The hearings stretched into July, when the Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Under Ross, that streak is now 25 years, longest in the NFL — a plain embarrassment for the only franchise (still) to have a Perfect Season.—
Greg Cote
May 7,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Of those 19 games, eight of them have been the lowest home attendance marks in club history for a franchise coming off three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including a historic 119-defeat embarrassment in 2025.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20block. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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