stumbling block
stumbling block — noun
1. a difficulty or problem that stops or delays progress toward a goal, or prevents
a difficulty or problem that stops or delays progress toward a goal, or prevents agreement or cooperation between people or groups
The lack of funding was the main stumbling block in the community center renovation project.
stumbling block + in [project/process]
For the two firms, price disagreement became a major stumbling block in merger talks.
The unresolved border dispute remains a serious stumbling block to lasting peace in the region.
Language barriers can be a real stumbling block for students in their first semester abroad.
The team's lack of experience was a stumbling block in their construction contract bid.
The old zoning laws were a major stumbling block for the city's new housing plan.
Staff resistance was the biggest stumbling block in the digital transformation process.
The lack of reliable internet access is a serious stumbling block to rural education programs.
High import taxes became a stumbling block for small businesses expanding into foreign markets.
- obstacle
more general; stumbling block suggests a specific difficulty that unexpectedly trips someone up
- barrier
stronger; implies something that fully blocks passage rather than just slowing it
- impediment
more formal; emphasises delay rather than a full stop
- hurdle
suggests something that can be overcome with effort, like jumping over a barrier
- hindrance
milder; suggests something that slows progress rather than stopping it
- stepping stone
something that helps progress rather than blocking it
- catalyst
something that speeds up progress
- advantage
something that works in your favor
文法句型
be a stumbling block to [goal/action]
be a stumbling block in [process/project]
be a stumbling block for [person/group]
用法筆記
Almost always used in the singular. The phrase 'a stumbling block to [something]' is the most common grammatical pattern. This sense covers both contexts: progress-blocking situations (plans, projects, development) and interpersonal or procedural situations (negotiations, agreements, cooperation). The progress-blocking usage is the most frequent — the headword's literal metaphor of tripping while walking forward naturally maps onto goals and timelines.
常見錯誤
stumbling block — idiom
1. a difficult idea or confusing point that keeps someone from accepting or fully g
a difficult idea or confusing point that keeps someone from accepting or fully grasping a belief, concept, or explanation
The contradiction in the data was a stumbling block for the research team's hypothesis.
stumbling block + for [theory/hypothesis]
For many non-scientists, complex terminology becomes a stumbling block to understanding climate change reports.
The idea of infinite space was a stumbling block for students of cosmology.
Religious differences can be a stumbling block in moral discussions between people of different faiths.
- perplexity
more formal; emphasises confusion rather than blockage
- mental block
more psychological; suggests an internal rather than external difficulty
- insight
a flash of understanding that removes the difficulty
文法句型
stumbling block to [understanding/belief]
用法筆記
Abstract sense — the stumbling block here is an intellectual or conceptual difficulty (a confusing idea, a contradiction, a hard-to-grasp concept), not a practical or procedural one. Common in academic, philosophical, and scientific contexts.