roadblock

noun

road·​block ˈrōd-ˌbläk 

1

a

: a barricade often with traps or mines for holding up an enemy at a point on a road covered by fire

b

: a road barricade set up especially by law enforcement officers

2

: an obstruction in a road

3

: something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective

roadblock transitive verb

Examples of roadblock in a Sentence

That's the one roadblock to the plan.

roadblocks on the path to success

Recent Examples on the Web

The name of the feature itself hasn’t been the only roadblock on the way to approval. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026

Which means the Knicks have yet another team positioning itself as a roadblock on their journey to repeat as NBA champions — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since the Wizards last cracked the 40-win mark. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026

Many have taken to the streets in towns and neighborhoods to protest the worsening situation, with roadblocks, tire-burning and residents holding up signs criticizing the government for not providing adequate solutions. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

The federal case hit roadblocks after a magistrate judge twice rejected a search warrant, CBS News previously reported. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for roadblock

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

roadblock

noun

road·​block -ˌbläk 

: a blocking of a road (as by police officers)

Legal Definition

roadblock

noun

road·​block

: a road barricade set up by law enforcement officers especially for the purpose of detecting criminal activity