as in hurdles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
stumbling on all the obstacles along the path
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Recent Examples of obstacles
Rams boss Les Snead and Chiefs leadership tandem Andy Reid and Brett Veach don’t seem hindered by obstacles either, despite later draft slots and paying future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.
—
Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The obstacles along the way fueled Jones’ drive to succeed.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
The system continuously maps nearby activity, such as detecting pedestrians, vehicles, and unexpected obstacles.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
For now, though, the industry still faces major obstacles that retail investors should be aware of before putting money into pot stocks, says Gerald Pascarelli, a consumer equity analyst at investment firm Needham & Company.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Features like front and rear locking differentials and a disconnecting front stabilizer bar help the truck crawl over obstacles that would challenge most pickups.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The plot still cries out for a flow chart, but the powerhouse fusion of Michele, Tveit and Christopher, overcoming all obstacles, has made this production one of the seismic events of the Broadway season.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Our national mythology requires us to see Indigenous peoples as obstacles to progress.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2026
Bats can fly through total darkness, dodge obstacles at high speed, and weave through caves without crashing.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The obstacles along the way fueled Jones’ drive to succeed.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
The system continuously maps nearby activity, such as detecting pedestrians, vehicles, and unexpected obstacles.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
For now, though, the industry still faces major obstacles that retail investors should be aware of before putting money into pot stocks, says Gerald Pascarelli, a consumer equity analyst at investment firm Needham & Company.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Features like front and rear locking differentials and a disconnecting front stabilizer bar help the truck crawl over obstacles that would challenge most pickups.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
The plot still cries out for a flow chart, but the powerhouse fusion of Michele, Tveit and Christopher, overcoming all obstacles, has made this production one of the seismic events of the Broadway season.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Our national mythology requires us to see Indigenous peoples as obstacles to progress.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2026
Bats can fly through total darkness, dodge obstacles at high speed, and weave through caves without crashing.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstacles
Noun
-
At a closed-door conference on April 28, the court and participants discussed the user experience, revealing that several bugs and hurdles remain.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
With limited communication access inside Iran, the filmmakers faced significant logistical hurdles in bringing the film to Sundance.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
But there are wild cards, including potential obstructions from Orion’s solar arrays or the body of the spacecraft and uncertainty about how well the vehicle can maintain a consistent orientation.—
Adam Bluestein,
Scientific American,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Aid agencies say Israeli security restrictions have tied their hands, creating difficult security barriers that have limited the influx of aid.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Other good view barriers for privacy might include the edible olive, pineapple guava, Simpson stopper, Walter’s viburnum, podocarpus and clumping bamboo.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The professional embarrassments even take place at the level of state supreme courts.—
Martin Kaste,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That’s not only because judges are fining more lawyers for their laziness, but because the publicity about these embarrassments has been inescapable.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obstacles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstacles. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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