obstacle

obstacle
noun
ADJECTIVE
big, major
chief, greatest, main
enormous, formidable, huge, serious, significant

The attitude of the unions is a serious obstacle.

impossible (esp. AmE), insuperable (formal), insurmountable (formal)

the joy of overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles

Lack of money has proved an almost insurmountable obstacle.

bureaucratic, legal, political
VERB + OBSTACLE
be, become, constitute, prove, remain, represent
create, pose, present
come across (esp. BrE), encounter, face
avoid, overcome, remove, surmount

He was determined to overcome all obstacles in his way.

OBSTACLE + NOUN
course
PREPOSITION
obstacle for

Lack of childcare provision can be a major obstacle for women wishing to work.

obstacle to

The huge distances involved have proved an obstacle to communication.

PHRASES
an obstacle in the path (of sb/sth), an obstacle in the way (of sb/sth)

The release of prisoners remains an obstacle in the path of a peace agreement.


Collocations dictionary. 2013.

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Synonyms:

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  • obstacle — [ ɔpstakl ] n. m. • 1220; lat. obstaculum, de obstare « se tenir (stare) devant » 1 ♦ Ce qui s oppose au passage, gêne le mouvement. Le vent « ne rencontre aucun obstacle naturel sur le plateau » (Camus). « la voiture fit un écart pour ne pas… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Obstacle 1 — «Obstacle 1» Сингл I …   Википедия

  • Obstacle 1 — Single by Interpol from the album Turn On the Bright Lights Released November 11, 2002 September 15, 2003 (Reissue) …   Wikipedia

  • Obstacle — to traffic caused by a collapse in highway 140, in Ferguson, state of California (USA), on 21 April 2008 02:36:01 PM PDT An obstacle (also called a barrier or a stumbling block) is an object, thing, action or situation that causes an obstruction …   Wikipedia

  • obstacle — OBSTACLE. s. m. Empeschement, opposition, ce qui empesche qu une chose ne soit, ne se fasse, ne reüssisse. Grand obstacle. obstacle invincible. vaincre un obstacle. surmonter un obstacle. former des obstacles. faire naistre un obstacle, des… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • obstacle — obstacle, obstruction, impediment, bar, snag denote something which seriously hampers action or progress. Obstacle, which is used of both material and immaterial things, applies to an object, condition, or situation which stands in one s way and… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • obstacle — [äb′stə kəl] n. [OFr < L obstaculum, obstacle < obstare, to withstand < ob (see OB ) + stare, to STAND] anything that gets in the way or hinders; impediment; obstruction; hindrance SYN. OBSTACLE is used of anything which literally or… …   English World dictionary

  • obstacle — (n.) mid 14c., from O.Fr. obstacle, ostacle hindrance (13c.), from L. obstaculum a hindrance, obstacle, with instrumental suffix * tlom + obstare stand opposite to, block, hinder, from ob against (see OB (Cf. ob )) + stare to stand, from PIE …   Etymology dictionary

  • Obstacle — Ob sta*cle, n. [F., fr. L. obstaculum, fr. obstare to withstand, oppose; ob (see {Ob }) + stare to stand. See {Stand}. and cf. {Oust}, v.] That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • obstacle — I noun arrest, balk, barricade, barrier, block, bridle, catch, check, constraint, curb, dam, delay, detainment, difficulty, disallowance, drawback, embargo, enjoining, estoppel, fence, forbiddance, hamper, handicap, hindrance, hurdle, impediment …   Law dictionary

  • obstacle — [n] impediment, barrier bar, block, booby trap*, bump*, catch, Catch 22*, check, clog*, crimp*, difficulty, disincentive, encumbrance, hamper, handicap, hang up*, hardship, hindrance, hitch*, hurdle, interference, interruption, joker*, monkey… …   New thesaurus

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