Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

obstacle

/ˈɑbstəkəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.72 in modern English

Syllables
ob-sta-cle
IPA
/ˈɑbstəkəl/
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English obstacle, from Old French obstacle, from Latin obstāculum.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: obstacle, obstāculum

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈɑbstəkəl/
  • British English: /ˈɒbstəkəl/

Inflected Forms

obstacles (plural)

Derived Forms

obstacular obstaculate

Phrases

obstacle course obstacle race obstacle-ridden

Synonyms

impediment hindrance hurdle barrier complication snag obstruction

Questions

How do you pronounce obstacle?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɑbstəkəl/.
What does obstacle mean?
Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively
Where does obstacle come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce obstacle

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “obstacle”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɑbstəkəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “obstacle”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “obstacle” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.