hurdle

1 of 2

noun

hur·​dle ˈhər-dᵊl 

1

a

: a portable panel usually of wattled withes and stakes used especially for enclosing land or livestock

b

: a frame or sled formerly used in England for dragging traitors to execution

2

a

: an artificial barrier over which racers must leap

knocked over a hurdle

b

hurdles plural, track and field : any of various events in which racers must jump over a series of hurdles

won a medal in the high hurdles

The hurdles is his best event.

3

: barrier, obstacle

a company that faces severe financial hurdles

overcame many hurdles on her way to earning her degree

Illustration of hurdle

• hurdle 2a

hurdle

2 of 2

verb

hurdled; hurdling ˈhər-dᵊl-iŋ 

ˈhərd-liŋ

transitive verb

1

: to leap over especially while running (as in a sporting competition)

hurdling an obstacle in a steeplechase

2

: overcome, surmount

had to hurdle a series of competitive auditions

—Collier's

hurdler

ˈhər-dᵊl-ər 

ˈhərd-lər

noun

Did you know?

Hurdle vs. Hurtle

Indistinguishable in speech, the words hurtle and hurdle can be a confusing pair.

Hurtle is a verb with two meanings: "to move rapidly or forcefully," as in "The stone was hurtling through the air," and "to hurl or fling," as in "I hurtled the stone into the air." Note that the first use is intransitive: the stone isn't hurtling anything; it itself is simply hurtling. The second use is transitive: something was hurtled—in this case, a stone.

Hurdle is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, its most common meanings have to do with barriers: the ones that runners leap over, and the metaphorical extension of these, the figurative barriers and obstacles we try to similarly overcome. The verb hurdle has two meanings, and they are directly related to these. It can mean "to leap over especially while running," as in "She hurdled the fence," and it can mean "to overcome or surmount," as in "They've had to hurdle significant financial obstacles." The verb hurdle is always transitive; that is, there's always a thing being hurdled, whether it be a physical obstacle or a metaphorical one.

Synonyms

Noun

• balk
• bar
• block
• chain
• clog
• cramp
• crimp
• deterrent
• drag
• embarrassment
• encumbrance
• fetter
• handicap
• hindrance
• holdback
• impediment
• inhibition
• interference
• let
• manacle
• obstacle
• obstruction
• shackles
• stop
• stumbling block
• trammel

Examples of hurdle in a Sentence

Noun

He won a medal in the high hurdles.

The company faces severe financial hurdles this year.

Verb

The horse hurdled the fence.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Things most people never think about — textures, noises, crowded rooms — could feel like insurmountable hurdles. —Marina Watts, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024

The officials pointed out that the rules will not create hurdles for normal economic and trade cooperation and global supply chain. —Evelyn Cheng,anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024

Verb

Prosecutors seeking exceptions to the directive were required to hurdle two or three layers of approval, including Price. —East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

Players may not hurdle, spin or dive to avoid a flag from being pulled. —Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English hurdel, from Old English hyrdel; akin to Old High German hurt hurdle, Latin cratis wickerwork, hurdle

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hurdle

1 of 2 noun

hur·​dle ˈhərd-ᵊl 

1

: a movable panel used as a fence

2

a

: a barrier to be jumped in a race

b

: a race in which such barriers must be jumped

3

: obstacle

hurdle

2 of 2 verb

hurdled; hurdling ˈhərd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to leap over while running

the horse hurdled the fence

2

: overcome sense 1

hurdler

ˈhərd-lər 

-ᵊl-ər

noun