as in obstacle
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 block
But over the past few years, Muslim authors have produced bracingly original stories that foreground faith as a cornerstone of identity rather than a stumbling block.
—
Hafsa Lodi, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
But getting hung up on the purity of beginning from the beginning is more likely to be a stumbling block than a source of pleasure.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
The change could prove a stumbling block for people who need to ensure that mail such as bill payments, taxes or voting ballots are postmarked by specific dates.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Jan. 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
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Hafsa Lodi, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
But getting hung up on the purity of beginning from the beginning is more likely to be a stumbling block than a source of pleasure.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
The change could prove a stumbling block for people who need to ensure that mail such as bill payments, taxes or voting ballots are postmarked by specific dates.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Jan. 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
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling block
Noun
-
The system continuously maps nearby activity, such as detecting pedestrians, vehicles, and unexpected obstacles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And that really is a huge obstacle for the Chinese now.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The biggest hurdles have been the logistics of assembling the designs in conjunction with partners WhiteWater West, which helped design Royal Caribbean’s water park as well.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But for now, many families still face legal hurdles even in places where polyamory is becoming widely accepted.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The 13-year-old from Long Island, New York, had been born with ureterovesical junction obstruction, a rare congenital disease, where a blockage between the ureter and bladder causes urine to back up into the kidney.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
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According to police, necropsy results for both of the dead dogs revealed a cylindrical obstruction, resembling a corn cob, as well as a black substance consistent with bedding material.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Well, the new strike zone and the obvious embarrassment of having a call overturned has changed how umpires call balls and strikes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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For the annual dinner to occur at the White House itself would be a huge—okay, an even huger—embarrassment and conflict of interest.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20block. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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