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obstacles Meaning & Definition

ˈäb-sti-kəl

What Does Obstacles Mean?

As a noun, obstacles means something that impedes progress or achievement.

Obstacles in Brief

Part of speechnoun
Pronunciation/ˈäb-sti-kəl/
Syllables3
Synonymsbalks, bars and blocks
Antonymscatalysts, goads and impetuses

Obstacles Definition (Noun)

  1. something that impedes progress or achievement

    swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road / Lack of experience proved to be an obstacle in her job search. / … elders … often facing daily medical, social, and psychological obstacles.

Synonyms of Obstacles

Obstacles synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of Obstacles

Obstacles in a Sentence

A big obstacle to understanding the manual was that it had been poorly translated from the Japanese.

swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road

Lack of experience proved to be an obstacle in her job search.

… elders … often facing daily medical, social, and psychological obstacles.

stumbling on all the obstacles along the path

swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road / Lack of experience proved to be an obstacle in her job search. / … elders … often facing daily medical, social, and psychological obstacles.

Word Forms & Grammar

obstacle

obstacles

Origin of Obstacles

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin obstaculum, from obstare to stand in front of, from ob- in the way + stare to stand ob-, stand

First Known Use

14th century

How Do You Say Obstacles?

The standard pronunciation of obstacles is /ˈäb-sti-kəl/, spoken in 3 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (äb).

Quick Answers About Obstacles

What part of speech is obstacles?

Obstacles is a noun.

What is another word for obstacles?

Close synonyms of obstacles are balks, bars and blocks. See the full list of obstacles synonyms and antonyms.

What is the opposite of obstacles?

Antonyms of obstacles include catalysts, goads, impetuses and incentives.

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