hurdles

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hurdles" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to obstacles or challenges that need to be overcome in various contexts, such as sports, projects, or personal goals. Example: "She faced many hurdles during her journey to become a professional athlete, but her determination kept her going."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

On his return from Spain he turned down an offer to do an interview with GMTV, headed home to Trowbridge near his Bath training base – where he had a cup of tea with the neighbours, who had looked after his goldfish while he was away – and got on with leaping over hurdles.

The Guardian - Sport

There are still regulatory hurdles to overcome and plenty of analysts are alarmed at the price offered: a 50% premium to the share value.

The Guardian - Business

Andy Turner finished in third place in the 110m hurdles.

The Guardian - Sport

And then when you're an under-17 you can start doing the 400m hurdles, so I sort of got drafted into doing it for the team and found myself really enjoying it.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This means the bill jumped through the first of many procedural hurdles in that chamber and is now on a glide path to passage.

The Guardian

Personally, because of my event, I'd say Ed Moses for 400m hurdles – he won over a hundred races in a row!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Greene's training partner Jack Green and the European champion, Rhys Williams, also qualified for the next round of the 400m hurdles.

The Guardian - Sport

Scotland's Eilidh Child was second in the women's 400m hurdles in 55.62 behind Nigeria's Muizat Odumosu with England's Meghan Beesley seventh.

The Guardian - Sport

And in my speech to the NHS Confederation's 2014 annual conference and exhibition on Wednesday, I won't be shying away from some of the major hurdles the health and care sectors face now or those that need addressing in the future.

The Guardian

The 24-year-old, who won 400m gold in the hurdles at the European Championships – the first Briton to do so since Kriss Akabusi in 1990 – scored a penalty against Real Madrid as a 13-year-old playing football for Swansea City.

The Guardian - Sport

Even if, as now seems likely, the Irish vote yes to the Lisbon treaty this weekend, there are even greater hurdles for the Fianna Fáil-Green party government to overcome.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hurdles" when you want to emphasize the need to overcome specific obstacles, whether in a literal or figurative sense.

Common error

While "hurdles" is widely applicable, it can sound overly formal in very casual conversation. Consider using simpler words like "problems" or "challenges" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The noun "hurdles" functions primarily as a plural noun, representing multiple obstacles or challenges. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across varied contexts, aligning with the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Sport

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "hurdles" is a versatile plural noun widely used to describe challenges or obstacles that must be overcome. As Ludwig AI points out, its frequent use across diverse fields like news, business, and sports makes it a common and easily understood term. When writing, consider the formality of your context; while "hurdles" is generally acceptable, simpler alternatives might be preferable in very informal settings. Understanding its subtle differences from words like "obstacles" can further refine your communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

challenges

Replaces "hurdles" with a more general term for difficulties.

obstacles

Similar to "challenges" but implies a physical or metaphorical barrier.

impediments

A more formal synonym for "obstacles", suggesting something that delays or prevents progress.

difficulties

A broader term encompassing various types of problems or hardships.

roadblocks

Suggests obstacles that completely block progress, requiring a detour or removal.

setbacks

Implies temporary delays or reversals in progress.

complications

Highlights the factors making a situation complex and difficult.

tribulations

Refers to experiences that cause suffering or distress.

adversities

Focuses on unfavorable or challenging circumstances.

hardships

Emphasizes the difficult conditions or circumstances experienced.

FAQs

How to use "hurdles" in a sentence?

You can use "hurdles" to refer to literal obstacles in a race or figurative challenges in a project or personal goal. For example, "The athlete cleared all the "hurdles" with ease" or "The team overcame several "hurdles" to launch the product successfully."

What can I say instead of "hurdles"?

You can use alternatives like "challenges", "obstacles", or "impediments" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "overcome hurdles" or "jump over hurdles"?

Both "overcome "hurdles"" and "jump over "hurdles"" are correct, but they have slightly different connotations. "Overcome" is used in a more general, figurative sense to mean dealing with a difficulty. "Jump over" often refers to literal physical "hurdles", but can also be used figuratively.

What's the difference between "hurdles" and "obstacles"?

"Hurdles" often imply a series of challenges that must be addressed one after another, sometimes in a structured or expected way, whereas "obstacles" is a broader term that can refer to any kind of barrier, whether anticipated or unexpected.