big obstruction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "big obstruction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant barrier or hindrance in various contexts, such as physical, metaphorical, or logistical challenges. Example: "The construction project faced a big obstruction when they discovered underground utilities that were not on the plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The trunk was a big obstruction.

The New Yorker

The Pentium 4 the last "single-core" desktop processor clocked up 3.2 billion cycles a second.Disposing of this heat is a big obstruction to further miniaturisation and higher speeds.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Probably the biggest obstruction is the fragmented governmental structure with its overlapping jurisdictions.

The New York Times

The groups say the biggest obstruction to their attempts to push back against a torrent of dangerous hate speech is not their lack of resources but Facebook itself.

The New York Times

Gays and many scientists and public health experts consider Helms the U.S. Senate's biggest obstruction toward the enactment of sound AIDS policies.

Los Angeles Times

Israel struggles with so many bigger obstructions to religious pluralism, like the ultra-Orthodox legal chokehold over marriage, divorce and conversion.

Huffington Post

In Mr. Ramslien's view, a far bigger obstacle was continuous obstruction by Pakistani officials who viewed the Taliban as a bargaining chip.

The New York Times

Stalin knew they were the biggest human obstruction to his plan, cooked up with Hitler, to wipe Poland from the map.The plane crash was no decapitation.

The Economist

Now, the biggest impediment to weeding out poor teachers is not obstruction by the union but inadequate supervision by principals.

The New York Times

The one coming up was Class IV: major obstructions, big, unavoidable waves, distinct risk of flipping — in short, fun.

The New York Times - Travel

And that while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the president's intent with respect to obstruction". So a big piece of the thinking for Barr seems to have been that since there is not an underlying crime that was found related to the president, that obstruction is harder to prove.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "big obstruction", ensure the context clearly defines what is being obstructed. Providing specific details enhances clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "big obstruction" in overly casual or informal writing. Opt for simpler terms like "problem" or "issue" for better suitability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "big obstruction" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where the adjective "big" modifies the noun "obstruction". This phrase identifies something that is blocking or hindering progress. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "big obstruction" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a significant hindrance. Ludwig AI indicates that it is usable in written English. While its frequency is relatively rare, the phrase is found across various contexts, including news, scientific writing, and general reference. For more formal writing, alternatives such as "major impediment" or "significant barrier" may be more appropriate. The key to using "big obstruction" effectively is to ensure the context provides sufficient detail about the nature and impact of the obstruction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

major impediment

Replaces "obstruction" with "impediment" and "big" with "major", emphasizing the significance of the hindrance.

significant barrier

Uses "barrier" instead of "obstruction", highlighting the blocking aspect, and "significant" instead of "big".

substantial obstacle

Emphasizes the difficulty presented by the obstruction using "obstacle" and "substantial".

formidable hindrance

Focuses on the preventative nature of the obstruction using "hindrance" and "formidable".

considerable blockage

Highlights the blocking aspect using "blockage" and describes its size using "considerable".

large impediment

Simply replaces "big" with "large" while keeping "impediment", a synonym for obstruction.

major hurdle

Uses "hurdle" to represent a challenge that needs to be overcome, replacing "obstruction".

chief stumbling block

Replaces "obstruction" with "stumbling block", indicating a key difficulty.

primary obstacle

Focuses on the main difficulty represented by the obstruction using "primary obstacle".

imposing barrier

Uses "imposing" to describe the scale and difficulty, modifying "barrier".

FAQs

How can I use "big obstruction" in a sentence?

You can use "big obstruction" to describe a physical or metaphorical barrier. For example, "The fallen tree was a big obstruction on the road" or "Lack of funding is a big obstruction to the project's success".

What are some alternatives to "big obstruction"?

Alternatives include "major impediment", "significant barrier", or "substantial obstacle", depending on the specific context.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "big obstruction"?

It's appropriate in contexts where you want to emphasize that something is both large in scale and hindering progress. This can apply to physical objects, processes, or even abstract concepts.

Is "big obstruction" a formal or informal phrase?

While understandable in most contexts, "big obstruction" leans towards a more neutral tone. In formal writing, consider using alternatives like "significant barrier" or "major impediment" for increased precision.