/ˈɑbstəkəlz/
Say it backObstacles are things that impede progress or achievement. They can be physical barriers, mental challenges, or situational issues that require effort, strategy, or change to overcome. In everyday use, the term highlights hurdles that must be addressed to reach a goal.
- Misplacing stress or over-emphasizing the second syllable; practice maintaining primary stress on OB- and a quick, light /stə/ following. - Inserting an unnecessary vowel between /b/ and /st/ turning /bst/ into /bəs t/; aim for a tight /bst/ sequence without extra vowels. - Finalizing with an unclear /z/ due to voicing or breath; ensure the vocal fold vibration continues through the end and lands on a crisp /z/.
"Despite the obstacles, the team finished the project on time."
"Clear goals help you anticipate obstacles and plan around them."
"The journey involved many obstacles, but persistence paid off."
Pronounce it as /ˈɒb.stə.kəlz/ in US/UK; stress is on the first syllable OB-, followed by a light /stə/; the final -kəlz has a clear /k/ plus a reduced /əl/ and final /z/. Think: OB-stə-kəlz. You can listen to the pronunciation on Forvo or Cambridge for confirmation, and mirror a native rhythm: strong first beat, brisk but not hurried middle, crisp final /z/.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable with full vowel as /oʊ/ or /o/ (OB-ose-kəlz), saying /ˈɒb.stæ.kəlz/ with a bright æ in the second syllable, and swallowing the /t/ making it /ˈɒb.sə.kəlz/. Correction tips: keep the second syllable as a short schwa /ə/ and avoid inserting a separate syllable between /b/ and /st/. Maintain /k/ before final /əlz/ and end with a crisp /z/.
Across US/UK/AU, the primary differences are vowel quality and rhoticity. In General US, /ˈɒb.stə.kəlz/ with /ɒ/ as a rounded back vowel; non-rhotic in some dialects may sound like /ˈɒb.stə.kəlz/ with subtle /ɹ/ absence. UK typically uses /ˈɒb.stə.kəlz/ as well, rhoticity varies by region but generally no post-/r/ rhotic. Australian tends toward a centralized vowel in /ɒ/ and a shorter /ə/ in /stə/, with more vowel reduction and a lighter /z/. Overall the rhythm stays stressed on OB-, but subtle vowel shifts exist.
Two notable challenges: the initial /ɒ/ vowel and the sequence /bstə/ can feel awkward because English often tames clusters. The cluster /bst/ requires a quick transition from /b/ to /st/, while the /ə/ in the middle is a reduced vowel that you must keep short. The final /kəlz/ needs a clean /k/ stop before the /əl/ and a clear final /z/. Practicing the three-part chunk OB-STA-(Kəlz) helps untether the flow.
Yes— the word’s syllable count and strong first-stress pattern combine with a challenging consonant cluster: /b/ to /st/ with a middle schwa. Keeping the middle /stə/ unstressed and quickly moving to the /kəlz/ requires precise timing. The avoidance of an extra vowel between /b/ and /st/ is a subtle but essential detail.
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The word obstacles comes from the late 15th century Old French obstacle, from Latin obstaculum ‘barrier, hindrance,’ formed from ob- ‘against’ + statum ‘something placed, a standing,’ from the verb stare ‘to stand.’ The figurative sense of a thing that stands in the way arose in Middle English as the concept of hindrance expanded from physical barriers to figurative blocks. By the 16th–17th centuries, English usage included obstacles as anything that obstructs progress, plans, or movement, both literal and metaphorical. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling stabilized into obstacles (stress on first syllable ob-). The plural form obstacles follows standard English noun morphology, with the final -s pronounced as /z/ after a voiced consonant cluster. The term appears across disciplines—from engineering and sports to problem-solving and policy—retaining a consistent sense of impediment to advance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "obstacles" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "obstacles"
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