stumbling block
18
4.4
- noun
- /ˈstʌmbəlɪŋ blɑk/
:
obstáculo
- Indeed, the main stumbling block to adoption seems to be societal, not technological.
- a major stumbling block
- the main stumbling block
- a serious stumbling block
Right now, it seems like the biggest stumbling block is Mitch McConnell.
- Right now, it seems like the biggest stumbling block is Mitch McConnell.
- The personal trainer is very much a stumbling block for a lot of people.
- Don't let them become stumbling blocks or or scandals.
- This natural language processing has for long been a stumbling block for AI.
- And we we shouldn't avoid those problems, but we shouldn't allow them to be stumbling blocks to advancement.
- But it can also be your greatest foothold and your greatest stumbling block.
- We've also hit a bit of a dead end, a bit of a stumbling block, an obstacle which is very frustrating.
- The translations are not designed to get in the way, so don't allow them to become a stumbling block for yourself.
- And then following up with these people, like, what do you find to be the common blind spots or or stumbling blocks or places where people can go astray?
- It takes a long time, and this issue of survivors wanting revenge and vindication is a big stumbling block.
- So how do you navigate both giving people those tools, but also understanding that systemic inequalities are a huge stumbling block?
- But my side bias seems to be a real stumbling block or a real obstacle to employing rationality in a way that will allow us to understand reality better.
- What for time wasting with writers, Aside from surfing the Internet and quote research, what do you see as some of the stumbling blocks to time management?
- And the, the, the, the stumbling blocks, the roadblocks, the money problems that come.
- Biggest competition for me right now is participant for Fiji is a big stumbling block in my way because she hates that I snore.
Examples
-
Their dependence on survey data and their disinterest in culture are the main stumbling blocks.
Academic text (1991) -
In fact that was a major stumbling block to my theory.
-
What do you think is the biggest stumbling block that most people face with this kind of journey?
-
The comments also pointed to fear as a considerable stumbling block to change.
Academic text (2004) -
Lack of funds was seen as a major stumbling block to gaining greater stability.
Academic text (2004) -
When clinicians are already overworked, this can become a major stumbling block in the research process.
Academic text (2002) -
In many ways, Shin Sook Joo is the biggest stumbling block.
-
There can only be partial, temporary triumphs, always threatened by setbacks and stumbling blocks.
Academic text (1991) -
Officials regard the country's indigenous peoples' ways of life as presenting a major stumbling block to capitalist economic development.
Academic text (2011) -
Many people consider fear of failure to be a significant stumbling block in achieving their dreams.
Synonyms
503
5.1
A situation that stops progress or makes it hard to continue
343
3.4
A thing or problem that makes it hard to reach a goal
309
3.7
Something that stops or makes it hard to make progress
222
4.8
Something that stops or slows progress and makes a task hard
148
3.6
A problem that delays progress or makes things worse
88
3.8
An obstacle or problem you must overcome
51
7.0
Something that stops or slows progress
50
3.9
A problem that stops progress or makes a goal hard to reach
38
4.1
Something that blocks a pipe or blood vessel and stops flow
24
4.1
A problem you cannot get past
21
5.7
A thing that makes it difficult to do something, like an injury or traffic
17
4.1
Something that makes it harder for someone to succeed or progress
16
5.9
An unexpected problem that stops progress in a plan or process
10
7.5
A situation where talks or plans cannot move forward because of a big problem
9
3.7
The most difficult problem you must overcome
5
3.2
A problem that slows progress in a project
4
4.1
The first problem you must solve to start a task
2
4.0
The final difficulty you must get past before you finish something
1
3.9
Something that stops a project or work from moving forward
1
8.4
An obstacle that stops progress
1
6.6
A serious problem that stops a plan, product, or event from going ahead
Something that makes a task or journey harder
A sudden problem that stops plans from happening
A sudden problem that stops progress and causes delay
Antonyms
How Difficult
33
8.5
309
3.7
343
3.4
18
4.4
21
5.7
- Informal
19
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a problem or obstacle' is directly derivable from combining 'stumble' (to trip or falter) with 'block' (an obstruction): a thing that causes stumbling or hinders progress. This is a straightforward, image-based metaphor and follows regular modifier+noun composition found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Stumbling block comes from the simple picture of a stone or block in a path that makes you stumble and lose your balance. So, a stumbling block now means 'a problem' or 'obstacle' that stops progress.