stumbling block

SEE SYNONYMS FOR stumbling block ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an obstacle or hindrance to progress, belief, or understanding.

Origin of stumbling block

First recorded in 1580–90

Words nearby stumbling block

stultify, stum, stumble, stumble across, stumblebum, stumbling block, stumer, stump, stump bed, stump cancer, stump farm

Words related to stumbling block

complication, barrier, handicap, obstacle, setback, snag, difficulty, drawback, hurdle, hindrance, impediment, deterrent, hitch, catch-22, barricade, blockage, catch, clog, delay, discouragement

Example sentences from the Web for stumbling block

British Dictionary definitions for stumbling block

stumbling block

noun

any impediment or obstacle

Idioms and Phrases with stumbling block

stumbling block

A hindrance or obstacle, as in His lack of a degree is a real stumbling block to his advancement. This term originally meant “a tree stump over which one trips.” Its figurative use dates from the early 1500s.