Meaning & use
potential obstacles
Last updated
Meaning
phraseplural
Possible problems or difficulties that could stop progress or success.
Grammar: Use it as a plural noun phrase; the singular is a potential obstacle.
Patterns
- identify potential obstacles
- overcome potential obstacles
- potential obstacles to something
Before starting the project, the team listed potential obstacles such as funding and staffing.
The report identified several potential obstacles to expanding into new markets.
We need to plan for potential obstacles, including bad weather and delays.
Word forms
| singular | a potential obstacle |
|---|
Common combinations
- identify potential obstacles
- Good managers identify potential obstacles early.
- overcome potential obstacles
- The team worked hard to overcome potential obstacles.
- potential obstacles to
- Cost is one of the potential obstacles to entering the market.
- face potential obstacles
- New businesses often face potential obstacles in their first year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- possible barriers
- Similar, but barrier suggests a stronger blocking force than obstacle.
- challenges
- Challenges often implies difficulties that test ability, while obstacles are things in the way.
Opposites
Word family
- obstacle noun
- A thing that blocks progress.
- potentially adverb
- In a possible way.
Commonly confused: potential obstacles or obstinate?
potential obstacles vs obstinate
Obstinate means stubborn and is an adjective, not a noun like obstacle.
Practice
The report lists several potential obstacles ___ the project.
Choose one answer.
We say obstacles to something, meaning things that block it. The other prepositions do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “potential obstacles”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.