A physical or geographic point that controls passage, or a place that functions as an entrance or gateway to somewhere.
I showed my passport at the border checkpoint.
The port prospered as a gateway to the continent.
Figurative use for a difficult stage that must be passed before reaching a goal, often with exams, selection processes, negotiations, or projects.
The first exam is the first hurdle.
Raising funds will be a major obstacle in starting the business.
You need a permit to pass through the checkpoint at the border.
He got through the hurdle of the final interview.
I have to overcome the hurdle of the qualifying exam.
The document screening is the first hurdle in getting hired.
The ship passed through the harbor's gateway and out into the open sea.