Skip to main content
biggest hurdle

biggest hurdle

9 3.7
The most difficult problem you must overcome
  • noun
translation icon : mayor obstáculo
  • OK, our next question, what do you think is the biggest hurdle toward establishing a permanent human presence in space?

But I think a bigger hurdle is fear.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • That team's the biggest hurdle we'll face next year.

  • However, one of the biggest hurdles that must be addressed is not technical but rather regulatory.

    Blog text (21)
  • Global competition is the biggest hurdle the economy has to overcome.

    Blog text (1)
  • One of the biggest hurdles for the GOP is basic education on this.

    Blog text (20)
  • Tell me, what do you think is the biggest hurdle to overcome in addressing the digital comments?

    Blog text (20)
  • The biggest hurdle many of my clients face in fiction writing is characterization.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The biggest hurdle they face is the creation and development of the chassis.

    Blog text (23)
  • Many, if not most, of my nuclear energy colleagues believe that our biggest hurdle is overcoming public fears.

    Blog text (8)
  • One of the biggest hurdles going forward will be adapting to supercomputing's changing landscape.

    Blog text (27)
  • For many students, the biggest hurdle to success is finding time to study.

Synonyms

problem
vsbiggest hurdle
1.2

A situation that causes trouble and needs a solution

is the most significant difficulty, not just a common issue
obstacle
vsbiggest hurdle
343 3.4

A thing or problem that makes it hard to reach a goal

is the overall largest difficulty rather than any ordinary blockage
barrier
vsbiggest hurdle
309 3.7

Something that stops or makes it hard to make progress

is the single most serious difficulty rather than a general blocking condition
roadblock
vsbiggest hurdle
50 3.9

A problem that stops progress or makes a goal hard to reach

is the single most important difficulty rather than an ordinary barrier
uphill battle
vsbiggest hurdle
  • Informal
25 6.6

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort to succeed

is the most significant difficulty rather than a prolonged hard fight
stumbling block
vsbiggest hurdle
18 4.4

A problem that stops progress or makes moving forward difficult

is the most serious difficulty rather than a minor delaying problem
mountain to climb
vsbiggest hurdle
  • Informal
1 5.2

A very difficult task that you must overcome

is the most significant difficulty, not only a hard task
final boss
vsbiggest hurdle
  • Informal
6.5

A last very difficult challenge someone must get past in a project or task

is the single largest difficulty rather than just the ultimate test
crossing the moat
vsbiggest hurdle
  • Informal
8.2

A difficult challenge you must get past to do well

is the topmost difficulty rather than one among many troubles
thorny challenge
vsbiggest hurdle
7.4

A difficult problem that needs careful handling

is the most significant difficulty, not only one needing care

Antonyms

6 3.2

A small point that is not important

4 5.8

To give someone a better position than others

How Difficult

biggest hurdle
9 3.7
obstacle
343 3.4
hurdle
88 3.8
bump in the road
  • Informal
19 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

big + hurdle

The phrase is a simple superlative adjective + noun composition: 'biggest' (= most large/important) modifies 'hurdle' (an obstacle or difficulty), so the meaning 'most significant obstacle' is directly derivable from the parts. This construction is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily understand it.

Etymology

Biggest hurdle comes from running races where a hurdle is a small fence that runners must jump and the biggest one is the hardest to clear. So calling something the biggest hurdle means the 'main problem' to overcome.