stumbling blocks

noun

plural of stumbling block
as in obstacles
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stumbling blocks The facility may also run into stumbling blocks at the state level. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 Macroeconomic challenges have been stumbling blocks that Hill has had to navigate. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026 But the process has been riddled with stumbling blocks – including persistent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which threatened to derail US-Iran talks last week. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Since then, the process has stretched to require four different levels of review, each with a list of procedural requirements that pose stumbling blocks for prisoners seeking help. — Christie Thompson, NPR, 17 June 2026 Irving's complicated journey with leadership has been well documented, from his controversial trade request from Cleveland to stumbling blocks in Boston and Brooklyn. — Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026 The stumbling blocks to dialogue are immense. — Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026 However, one of the stumbling blocks on this pathway is borate, which is a family of common compounds found in seawater. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026 Cannon’s second and third languages become stumbling blocks for the reader, and visual shortcuts for emotional distance. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stumbling blocks
  1. obstacles
  2. hurdles
  3. obstructions
  4. barriers
Noun
  • If your balances aren't declining despite consistent payments and spending reductions, evaluate whether high interest charges, multiple obligations or insufficient cash flow are the underlying obstacles.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Amazon Watch, a nonprofit focused on environmental protection and Indigenous rights, also welcomed Lula’s victory while warning of legislative obstacles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstacles
Noun
  • Those changes have created new hurdles for enrollment, according to experts.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, even if Tesla’s shareholders were to approve the merger, there are potentially regulatory hurdles abroad.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurdles
Noun
  • Police reported 26 arrests during Wednesday night’s operations and said all roads were clear of obstructions Thursday morning.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Jerome noticed several obstructions in the road while biking.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of obstructions
Noun
  • Yet when a safety issue arises, competitive barriers come down.
    — Dennis Speigel, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • As with many maturing technologies, experts say wellness devices have become cheaper and easier to produce, lowering the barriers to entry.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of barriers

Browse Nearby Words

stumbling block
stumbling blocks
stumbling (on or onto)
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Cite this Entry

“Stumbling blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stumbling%20blocks. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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