2
general::
noun ADJ. big, chief, main, major | enormous, formidable, serious The attitude of the unions is a serious obstacle. | impossible, insuperable, insurmountable Lack of money has proved an almost insurmountable obstacle. VERB + OBSTACLE pose, prove, remain | come across, encounter | overcome, remove, surmount He was determined to overcome all obstacles in his way. PREP. ~ for Lack of childcare provision can be a major obstacle for women wishing to work. | ~ to The huge distances involved have proved an obstacle to communication between villages. PHRASES an obstacle in the path/way (of sb/sth) The release of prisoners remains an obstacle in the path of a peace agreement.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
3
general::
obstacle
verbs
be an obstacle
• This issue is a major obstacle to a successful peace treaty.
prove an obstacle
(= be an obstacle )
• The weather proved an obstacle, with nonstop rains flooding the field.
present/pose an obstacle
(= cause an obstacle to exist )
• Serious differences continue to present obstacles to an agreement. • Our reliance on fossil fuels poses an obstacle to achieving these targets.
overcome an obstacle
( also surmount an obstacle formal ) (= find a solution to an obstacle )
• We need to help young people overcome the obstacles that poverty puts in their way.
remove an obstacle
• Opening the border removed all obstacles to trade and travel between the two countries.
face an obstacle
(= have to deal with an obstacle )
• The investigation has faced numerous obstacles.
encounter an obstacle
(= find that there is an obstacle )
• People should not encounter obstacles because of their age, sex, race, or religion.
put/place obstacles in the way
(= try to stop someone from doing something easily )
• Her father put several obstacles in the way of their marriage.
adjectives
a major/serious obstacle
• Debt is a major obstacle to economic growth. • There are serious obstacles to obtaining sufficient funding.
a real obstacle
(= a serious one )
• The lack of oil and gas resources in Northeast Asia is a real obstacle to the region's economic development.
the main/biggest/greatest etc obstacle
• The biggest obstacle to women's equality was social expectations of male and female roles.
an insuperable/insurmountable obstacle
(= one that it is impossible to find a solution to )
• The problem does not present an insurmountable obstacle. • There are no insuperable obstacles to the purchase of the company.
a formidable obstacle
(= one that makes it very difficult to achieve something )
• There are formidable obstacles to legal reform.
a legal/political/technical etc obstacle
• Despite technical obstacles, scientists at NASA are considering the project.
phrases
an obstacle in the way/path
• There were still a number of obstacles in the way of an agreement.
transnet.ir