Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. One that opposes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. That which opposes or stands in the way; something that obstructs progress; a hindrance or obstruction.
- n. Objection; opposition.
- n. Synonyms Difficulty, Obstacle, Obstruction, Impediment, check, barrier. A difficulty embarrasses, an obstacle stops us. We remove [or overcome] the one, we surmount the other. Generally the first expresses something arising from the nature and circumstances of the affair; the second something arising from a foreign cause. An obstruction blocks the passage, and is generally put in the way intentionally. An impediment literally clogs the feet and so may continue with one, hindering his progress, while a difficulty once overcome, an obstacle once surmounted, or an obstruction once broken down, leaves one free to go forward without hindrance.
- Obstinate; stubborn.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction, physical or moral.
WordNet 3.0
- n. something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
- n. an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)
Etymologies
- Middle English, from Old French, from Latin obstāculum, from obstāre, to hinder : ob-, against; see ob- + stāre, to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“a tear in my eye for the lonely man who knew well that the only obstacle to his success was the _one_ that people never _could_ see, and that the _obstacle himself_ was never _likely_ to see.”
“Disorient the main obstacle is the kind of dealing with extremists”
“Sure they can, although I think the main obstacle is poverty and not over-regulation.”
Protesting Globalization, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty
“I simply think that you may be assuming that the main obstacle is wanting to do so.”
“The main obstacle is the willpower and commitment to do all this.”
“The main obstacle is sorting out the complexities of the various offers," said DuPuy, who heads the relocation process.”
USATODAY.com - Logistics, not Orioles, keeping Expos from D.C. area
“Likewise, Kel faces misogyny, as the first girl to try for knighthood without disguising herself as a boy, and in the first book her obstacle is the misogyny of her authority figures.”
“Another obstacle is a new Russian process for accrediting adoption agencies that has left most American agencies waiting for approval to be able to send orphans to the USA, says Thomas Atwood, president of the National Council for Adoption.”
“In any event, this 'obstacle' is the only one she has no control in altering.”
“Her character’s main obstacle is learning to deal with real life after using cheesy fairy tales insulated herself for so long.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘obstacle’.
chained_bear For its placement on my list (see right of page), see stand opposite to for a fine usage. Aug 16, 2009