1
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the claim that all of these regulations encumber doctors, taking time away from the actual practice of medicine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to load
to place a weight or burden on
don't encumber your pack animal so much that it can hardly move
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of encumber
Reviving his carefree youth while accepting success, though being encumbered by humility, does more than present the performer as his best self.
—
Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
The anti-coercion instrument is encumbered with legalistic safeguards intended to ensure that the European Commission will not deploy it without sufficient approval from EU member states.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
No longer encumbered by the demands put on the country's top diplomat, Kuleba has been speaking frankly on Kyiv's situation and outlook since departing his former role.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
As a marginalized population, Jennings said the North End is encumbered with poverty, racial discrimination, low employment rates, and low levels of home ownership.
—Julianna D’addona, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for encumber
Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
The anti-coercion instrument is encumbered with legalistic safeguards intended to ensure that the European Commission will not deploy it without sufficient approval from EU member states.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
No longer encumbered by the demands put on the country's top diplomat, Kuleba has been speaking frankly on Kyiv's situation and outlook since departing his former role.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
As a marginalized population, Jennings said the North End is encumbered with poverty, racial discrimination, low employment rates, and low levels of home ownership.
—Julianna D’addona, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for encumber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumber
Verb
-
Trump characterized the cities as in crisis and accused leaders of impeding immigration operations.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Alas, the roster should not impede them from pulling off this feat.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The process involved manufacturing the alloy samples to precise specifications and then meticulously loading them into protective capsules.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Buntin said that if open enrollment begins and these subsidies are not approved and loaded into the enrollment systems, people are likely to see their premiums go up.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The fear was that Jayden Daniels would be limited, that the brace on his left knee — or the knee itself — would hinder his running or his elusiveness, eliminate his quick cuts or somehow slow him down.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Trending Shorts Environmental activist Jane Goodall, who died Wednesday at the age of 91, understood the bleak projections from climate scientists — and the economic and political structures that hinder change.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cramer noted that both companies' stocks have been under pressure as of late — with Salesforce weighed down by worries about its artificial intelligence offerings and Dollar Tree burdened by new tariffs.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
-
And that burdens a lot of our recipients.—
Ashley Lopez,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Stephanie Lulay, executive editor and cofounder of Block Club Chicago, said the newsroom’s coverage of the protests has been hampered.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
His lack of strength also hampers him on defense.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The historic gems that fill his Paris home are enough; his appetite is sated.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Robb Report,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Six years later, he was assigned to be a pastor at a church in Bay Ridge, where the pews, once occupied by Norwegian immigrants, were filling up with Arab Christians, many of them Palestinian exiles.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Oct. 2025
-
In May 2018, she was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the heart to the body, becomes narrowed or obstructed.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The games themselves are embarrassing enough to watch.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
One agent was disciplined for insubordination after refusing to go along with the plan to embarrass Comey in this way.—
The Conversation,
The Conversation,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumber. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share