as in obstacles
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 blocks
Irving's complicated journey with leadership has been well documented, from his controversial trade request from Cleveland to stumbling blocks in Boston and Brooklyn.
—
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
The stumbling blocks to dialogue are immense.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 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
Cannon’s second and third languages become stumbling blocks for the reader, and visual shortcuts for emotional distance.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Overcoming Challenges Rickson’s journey wasn’t without its stumbling blocks.
—K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
One of the stumbling blocks—the principal stumbling block—to his doing more with Presley was the boy's manager, Bob Neal, who seemed infuriatingly unsusceptible to persuasion, promotion, or even recognition of his own (let alone his artist's) ever-increasing opportunities.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
The company launched its eleventh Starship test rocket earlier this month following a string of stumbling blocks and explosions.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
One of the stumbling blocks — the principal stumbling block — to his doing more with Presley was the boy’s manager, Bob Neal, who seemed infuriatingly unsusceptible to persuasion, promotion, or even recognition of his own (let alone his artist’s) ever-increasing opportunities.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
The stumbling blocks to dialogue are immense.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 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
Cannon’s second and third languages become stumbling blocks for the reader, and visual shortcuts for emotional distance.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Overcoming Challenges Rickson’s journey wasn’t without its stumbling blocks.
—K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
One of the stumbling blocks—the principal stumbling block—to his doing more with Presley was the boy's manager, Bob Neal, who seemed infuriatingly unsusceptible to persuasion, promotion, or even recognition of his own (let alone his artist's) ever-increasing opportunities.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
The company launched its eleventh Starship test rocket earlier this month following a string of stumbling blocks and explosions.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
One of the stumbling blocks — the principal stumbling block — to his doing more with Presley was the boy’s manager, Bob Neal, who seemed infuriatingly unsusceptible to persuasion, promotion, or even recognition of his own (let alone his artist’s) ever-increasing opportunities.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling blocks
Noun
-
These obstacles seemed insurmountable, but the group pushed on for over three years.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
The stadium deal in Vancouver is one of the biggest obstacles in trying to keep the team there.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Some Democrats revive the promise of single-payer healthcare Some of the sharpest exchanges occurred over single-payer healthcare, a policy vision that Newsom embraced on the campaign trail and abandoned in office when faced with the daunting price tag and political hurdles.—
Ben Paviour
May 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
-
Despite the initial hurdles, Hale persevered in a house full of toxic haters and fought her way back from the very bottom of the pecking order to become the first Black woman to win Big Brother and the show’s America’s Favorite Player award in one fell swoop.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
If safe, residents are asked to remove any obstructions to the public street, right of way, and sidewalk.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
But the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing hole — a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round — and even after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could only hit wedge to 30 feet.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The council also exempted from SB 79 areas that are close to a transit stop but violate the spirit of SB 79 because residents can’t walk to it easily because of barriers like canyons, freeways or a lack of sidewalks.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Educating women on maternal health matters is just one of the initiatives of the nonprofit that hopes to break down health access barriers in a tangible way.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20blocks. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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