hurdle
n. countablen. a problem or difficulty that you must deal with before you can achieve something. It is also the name for the wooden frames that athletes jump over in a race.
n. an obstacle or difficulty that must be overcome to achieve a particular goal; also refers to the light frame used in track-and-field jumping events.
The high cost of rent is a major hurdle for new businesses.
Passing the final exam was the last hurdle she had to clear before graduating from the nursing program.
While the initial funding was secured quickly, the project faced a significant hurdle when local environmental regulations required a complete redesign of the drainage system.
] From Middle English hurdel, hirdel, herdel, hyrdel, from Old English hyrdel (“frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier”), diminutive of hyrd, from Proto-Germanic hurdiz, from Pre-Germanic kr̥h₂tis, from Proto-Indo-European kreh₂-. Cognate with Dutch horde, German Hürde.
Often used with verbs like 'clear', 'overcome', or 'face'.