Hurdle: meaning, definitions and examples

Best fit for referring to a physical object in sports or metaphorically to mean a temporary challenge or difficulty that can be overcome.

• The athlete jumped over the hurdle with ease.
• Starting a new job can be a big hurdle in life.

This term generally refers to something that impedes progress or achievement, in both concrete and abstract situations. Usually suggests a significant challenge.

• Financial problems are a huge obstacle to starting your own business.
• There was an obstacle on the hiking trail.

Often used to describe something that prevents access or progress, both in a physical sense and in more abstract contexts like social or linguistic barriers.

• The language barrier made communication difficult.
• There was a barrier blocking the road.

This word is typically used for something that blocks a pathway or prevents progress, often carries a slightly negative connotation.

• The car accident caused an obstruction in the road.
• His refusal to cooperate was seen as an obstruction to the investigation.

Used to describe an obstacle or a challenge that needs to be faced. It can be used in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

• The biggest hurdle in the project was getting approval from the management.
• She easily cleared the hurdle in the final race.

Used when talking about successfully dealing with a difficulty or challenge. It implies that the challenge was significant and that effort was needed to deal with it.

• She overcame many personal hurdles to achieve success.
• He managed to overcome his fear of public speaking.

Refers to the action of getting over or removing an obstacle. Often used in contexts where the obstacle is successfully dealt with.

• He worked hard to clear all the obstacles in his path.
• They cleared the hurdle with ease during the competition.

Used when referring to physically leaping over something, but can also be used metaphorically to describe overcoming difficulties.

• The athlete managed to jump over the high hurdle.
• We need to jump over a few bureaucratic barriers to get the permits.