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
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.
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Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling blocks
Noun
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In woodpeckers and other birds, the wing joints are reinforced by a network of soft, prestressed connective tissue that helps absorb shocks from collisions with obstacles.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Sep. 2025
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But knowing how to stay motivated and keep showing up in the face of everyday obstacles such as lack of time, illness or competing priorities is the most common reason people fall off the wagon – and therefore need the most support.—
Masha Remskar,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But even if the cultural hesitation fades, there are a few hurdles unique to building platonic bonds online.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
26 Sep. 2025
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Taking on the 400 meters, specifically, was a switch for the track star, whose trademark event is the 400-meter hurdles.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In 2025, Roborock launched a vacuum cleaner with a robotic arm for moving socks and other obstructions out of the way.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
21 Aug. 2025
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It’s bound to be laden with obstructions and those looking to undermine change.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Schermer discussed his work as founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit that addresses the barriers to finding mental health care and offers tools to make accessing services easier.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
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The robbery prompted the creation of a new program in Santa Clara County that provides funds to small businesses to install concrete barriers and technology connecting security cameras to a real-time intelligence center at the San Jose Police Department.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20blocks. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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