OBSTACLE

[noun] [C] - something that blocks you so that movement, going forward or action are prevented or made more difficultan insurmountable/insuperable obstacleThe worst obstacles that we had to negotiate were tree trunks that had fallen across the road.This decision has removed the last obstacle to the hostages' release.Their refusal to compromise is a major obstacle in the way of (= something preventing) further peace talks.Eventually they overcame all the obstacles and their firm was very successful.An obstacle course is a race in which runners have to climb over, under or through a series of obstacles or (figurative) something which is difficult to do.(figurative) Any attempt to get the money back is going to have to pass through the obstacle course of the British legal system.