obstaculate

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UK/əbˈstækjʊˌleɪ̯t/US/əbˈstækjəˌleɪ̯t/Australia/əbˈstækjəˌlæɪ̯t/

verb

To act as an obstacle to; to impede, obstruct.

OriginItalian ostacolare ← Latin *obstāculātus →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

verbobstaculate (third-person singular simple present obstaculates, present participle obstaculating, simple past and past participle obstaculated)

present singular third person obstaculates · participle present obstaculating · participle past obstaculated · past obstaculated

  1. raretransitiveTo act as an obstacle to; to impede, obstruct.

    I have a mission to accomplish, and you will not obstaculate me.

    2019, Alex Grossi, chapter 2, in Shadows, UK: AuthorHouse, →ISBN

Origin

  1. Latin*obstāculātus
  2. Italianostacolare
  3. Englishobstaculate

Borrowed from Italian ostacolare, as if from a Latin *obstāculātus. Equivalent to obstacle + -ate.

More words from Italian, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

obstaculate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obstaculate

MLA

“obstaculate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obstaculate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “obstaculate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obstaculate.

Source: obstaculate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.