obstacle
Other forms: obstacles
When the road is blocked ahead of you, that blockage is an obstacle that keeps you from getting where you want to go.
The Latin word that is the source of the word obstacle combines parts that mean "to stand in the way of," so an obstacle is something that stands against what you want to do. In a dramatic piece, the obstacle is the person or thing that keeps a character from achieving his or her goal. This creates the conflict in a play: since conflict is what drama is all about, the obstacle is the source of all drama.
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something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted“lack of imagination is an obstacle to one's advancement”“the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education”
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synonyms:
obstruction
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types:
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barrier, roadblock
any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective
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hang-up, hitch, rub, snag
an unforeseen obstacle
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hurdle
an obstacle that you are expected to overcome
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stymie, stymy
a thwarting and distressing situation
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ideological barrier
a barrier to cooperation or interaction resulting from conflicting ideologies
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language barrier
barrier to communication resulting from speaking different languages
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iron curtain
any impenetrable barrier preventing the exchange of information or ideas
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type of:
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balk, baulk, check, deterrent, handicap, hinderance, hindrance, impediment
something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
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an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)
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types:
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hazard
an obstacle on a golf course
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stumbling block
any obstacle or impediment
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water jump
a pool or stream in a steeplechase or similar contest
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bunker, sand trap, trap
a hazard on a golf course
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water hazard
hazard provided by ponds of water that the golfer must avoid
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type of:
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impediment, impedimenta, obstructer, obstruction, obstructor
any structure that makes progress difficult
/ˈɑbstəkəl/
/ˈɒbstəkəl/
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Vocabulary lists containing obstacle
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