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What does “a stumbling block” mean?
Meaning, example sentence and a quick practice question.
C1
An obstacle that prevents progress on something
“The main stumbling block was a lack of budget.”
From the C1 lesson Sorting It Out (solving problems).
Quick check
What does “a stumbling block” mean?
Teaching this phrase?“a stumbling block” is part of a ready-to-teach lesson, with a reading, three exercises, speaking tasks and an answer key, in Everyday English Chunks C1 Pack 2 (Plans, Problems and Feelings).
See the C1 lesson pack
See the C1 lesson pack
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Related phrases
- get to grips with (sth)to begin to understand and deal with something difficult
- thrash sth outto discuss something thoroughly until a solution or agreement is reached
- nip sth in the budto stop a problem early, before it has a chance to grow
- muddle throughto manage to complete something despite a lack of skill, information or organization
- a workarounda way of dealing with a problem without solving the underlying cause
- get to the bottom of (sth)to discover the real cause or truth of a problem
- put out firesto deal with urgent problems one after another, usually reactively
- crack itto finally find the solution to a difficult problem
- sort itself out(of a problem) to resolve without anyone needing to take direct action