roadblock

noun

road·​block ˈrōd-ˌbläk How to pronounce roadblock (audio)
Synonyms of roadblocknext
1
a
: a barricade often with traps or mines for holding up an enemy at a point on a road covered by fire
b
: a road barricade set up especially by law enforcement officers
2
: an obstruction in a road
3
: something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective
roadblock transitive verb

Examples of roadblock in a Sentence

That's the one roadblock to the plan. roadblocks on the path to success
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sometimes these roadblocks are sincere, and the environmental review process works as intended. — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The announcement cleared a major roadblock to the confirmation of Warsh as Powell’s successor. — Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 The satire mainstay has faced legal roadblocks in taking over Alex Jones’s conspiracy theory juggernaut. — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 28 June 2026 Here, Amer plays a fictional version of himself, a Palestinian refugee who is trying to get legal status while encountering personal and professional roadblocks at every turn. — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for roadblock

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of roadblock was in 1913

Rhymes for roadblock

See All Rhymes for roadblock

Browse Nearby Words

roadbed
roadblock
roadbook
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roadblock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadblock. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

roadblock

noun
road·​block -ˌbläk How to pronounce roadblock (audio)
: a blocking of a road (as by police officers)

Legal Definition

roadblock

noun
road·​block
: a road barricade set up by law enforcement officers especially for the purpose of detecting criminal activity

More from Merriam-Webster on roadblock

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for roadblock

Nglish: Translation of roadblock for Spanish Speakers

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