Obstacle

n.

1.

That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction, physical or moral. If all obstacles were cut away. And that my path were even to the crown. - Shak.

Noun	1.	obstacle - something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted; "lack of immagination is an obstacle to one's advancement"; "the poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education"; "the filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan" Synonyms: obstruction
	2.	obstacle - an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)

blank wall, blind alley, blind gut, blockade, blockage, bottleneck, catch, cecum, choking, choking off, clog, congestion, constipation, cordon, costiveness, crimp, cul-de-sac, curtain, dead end, determent, disincentive, drawback, embolism, embolus, gorge, hamper, hang-up, hazard, hurdle, impasse, infarct, infarction, jam, joker, mountain, objection, obstipation, obstruction, obstructive, one small difficulty, rub, sealing off, stop, strangulation, stumbling, stumbling block, stumbling stone