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
Legal technicalities were a stumbling block for others.
—
Phil Hay, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Knowing math can present a stumbling block for many students, so Brewer breaks down concepts and makes learning about numbers fun.
—Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Phil Hay, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Knowing math can present a stumbling block for many students, so Brewer breaks down concepts and makes learning about numbers fun.
—Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for stumbling block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling block
Noun
-
But as the necessities of their jobs begin to push them farther apart, truckdriving becomes a serious obstacle to their budding relationship.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
The incidents involving contact with chains, trailer hitches, poles, and curbs indicate recurring limitations in detecting smaller or irregular obstacles, especially during reversing maneuvers.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The former junkyard is seen as ripe for future redevelopment, but an environmental clean-up is clearly a costly hurdle to be cleared.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
Regular New Yorkers don’t care about the reasons for the bureaucratic hurdles.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Smith was indicted for principal to manslaughter, principal to felony hazing and obstruction of justice.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
In December, Hill pleaded guilty to state charges of misconduct, perjury and obstruction of justice and was put on probation.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
In light of her public embarrassment, her author father, Greg, accepts a position as a visiting lecturer on campus to be close to his daughter in her time of need.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
-
Wilson’s an embarrassment to our police department.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stumbling block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20block. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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