confront the obstacle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "confront the obstacle" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing facing challenges or difficulties in various contexts, such as personal growth, problem-solving, or overcoming barriers. Example: "In order to succeed, we must confront the obstacle that stands in our way."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Thanks to the wet-foot, dry-foot immigration policy, which essentially says any Cuban refugee who's able to set foot on American soil becomes a legal immigrant on the road to citizenship, Cubans don't confront the obstacles that keep many other immigrants from the polls.

The New York Times

But Angola is getting ready to confront the obstacles.

Unicef

She is determined to go to school and dares to confront the obstacles.

Unicef

But companies like Uber are continually confronting the obstacle of entrenched government bureaucracy, resistant unions of taxi drivers and dispatchers, and overlapping and sometimes conflicting systems of state and city regulation.

The New York Times

NEW YORK TIMES Upstarts Challenging the Taxi Industry ||  "Companies like Uber are continually confronting the obstacle of entrenched government bureaucracy, resistant unions of taxi drivers and dispatchers, and overlapping and sometimes conflicting systems of state and city regulation," Nick Bilton writes on the Bits blog of The New York Times.

The New York Times

The task of characterizing philosophy in (or of) the Enlightenment confronts the obstacle of the wide diversity of Enlightenment thought.

SEP

Politically, local action to limit GHG emissions confronts the obstacle that it would incur in-state costs for minimal in-state benefits (raising the positive question why states are acting at all).

Duke University

As United Airlines officially announced its proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of US Airways yesterday, the two companies began confronting the obstacles and challenges that they will have to overcome.

The New York Times

Whether they're acting on the national stage or in their home towns, whether they're activists, athletes or artists, their fearlessness in confronting the obstacles of today creates a more just and equal society for tomorrow".

Huffington Post

This is because neither candidate is willing to confront the underlying obstacle to real change: the premise that the basic responsibility for education rests with communities and states, not the federal government.

The New York Times

They're trying to make works of art". But even with the gains they've made, the members confront the same obstacle every writer faces: to be heard and recognized.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "confront the obstacle" when you want to emphasize a direct and determined approach to addressing a specific barrier or challenge.

Common error

Avoid using "confront the obstacle" in everyday situations. Reserve it for scenarios where the challenge is significant and requires substantial effort.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "confront the obstacle" functions as a verb phrase where "confront" is the verb indicating the action of facing something, and "the obstacle" is the direct object, representing the challenge being faced. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

29%

Science

28%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "confront the obstacle" is a grammatically sound and relatively common expression used to describe facing a challenge or difficulty head-on. As Ludwig AI indicates, its usage is correct in English. It appears across various contexts, including News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science. While it's best reserved for significant challenges requiring substantial effort, related phrases such as "face the difficulty" or "tackle the problem" can serve as suitable alternatives depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

face the difficulty

Replaces 'obstacle' with the more general 'difficulty'.

tackle the problem

Emphasizes a proactive approach to addressing a challenge.

address the challenge

Highlights the act of dealing with a demanding task.

meet the impediment

Uses 'impediment' to describe a barrier.

overcome the hurdle

Suggests successfully passing a challenge.

grapple with the issue

Implies a struggle to resolve a problem.

deal with the setback

Focuses on managing a reverse in progress.

resolve the problem

Stresses finding a solution.

handle the difficulty

Suggests managing a challenging situation.

take on the challenge

Implies accepting and engaging with a difficult task.

FAQs

How can I use "confront the obstacle" in a sentence?

You can use "confront the obstacle" to describe facing a challenge directly, such as: "In order to succeed, we must "confront the obstacle" that stands in our way".

What are some alternatives to "confront the obstacle"?

You can use alternatives like "face the difficulty", "tackle the problem", or "address the challenge" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "confront the obstacle" or "overcome the obstacle"?

While both are valid, ""confront the obstacle"" suggests facing the challenge, whereas "overcome the hurdle" implies successfully surpassing it. Choose the phrase that best fits the situation you're describing.

What is the difference between "confront the obstacle" and "ignore the obstacle"?

"Confront the obstacle" means actively addressing a challenge, while ignoring it means avoiding or neglecting it. The choice depends on whether you intend to resolve the issue or let it persist.