hurdler

A hurdler is a track athlete who runs a race and jumps over hurdles, which are barriers placed along the track. You usually hear this word in sports, especially in events like the 100m, 110m, or 400m hurdles. Sometimes people also use it in a figurative way for someone who gets past problems or challenges, but the sports meaning is much more common.

The word "hurdler" mainly refers to an athlete in track and field who runs a race while jumping over a row of barriers called hurdles. A hurdler needs speed, balance, timing, and control, because the goal is to clear each hurdle without slowing down too much. The word is most often used for people in official races, such as the 100-meter, 110-meter, or 400-meter hurdles.

People sometimes use "hurdler" in a figurative way for someone who keeps getting past difficulties or barriers in life. For example, a student handling work, family, and school at the same time might be described this way. Still, this is a secondary use. In everyday English, the word usually makes people think first of the sport.

So when you hear "hurdler," the clearest meaning is a runner trained to race over hurdles on a track. The wider idea of getting past obstacles can also be there, but it comes from the sports meaning.