OBSTACLE Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

obstacle

noun

ˈäb-sti-kəl

Definition of obstacle

as in hurdle

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 obstacle There was another obstacle that Sweeney faced in bringing the museum together. — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 The event was put on in support of Southern California nonprofit Chrysalis, which helps individuals navigate obstacles on their path to meaningful employment. — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026 Around these expanding buffers, SANDO constructs a safety corridor, a chain of connected, obstacle-free regions of three-dimensional space. — New Atlas, 11 Oct. 2026 The aerospace company, led by Elon Musk, struck a deal to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum that will advance Starlink’s wireless capabilities by enabling the signal to pass through walls and other obstacles. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obstacle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstacle

Noun

Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Most of the K-pop festivals that have been announced over the last few years never went ahead due to various logistical hurdles.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

What about art that makes one cringe with embarrassment at its existence?

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Chronicling the hyper-niche behaviors that define our online existence, Berlant describes the seemingly inescapable embarrassment of wasting one’s life away in an endless scroll.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

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obsoleteness

obstacle

obstacles

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“Obstacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstacle. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of obstacle

noun

Example Sentences

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