hamper

verb

Save Word

ham·per | \ ˈham-pər

hampered; hampering\ ˈham-p(ə-)riŋ

Definition of hamper

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to restrict the movement of by bonds or obstacles : impede pitching … violently in the seaway, hampered by her heavy tow— R. S. Porteous

b : to interfere with the operation of : disrupt radio communications hampered by static— Globe & Mail

2a : to moderate or limit the effect or full exercise of : curb, restrain a work environment that hampers creativity

b : to interfere with : to impede the natural activity of : encumber Bad weather hampered the search effort. a project hampered by budget restraints

hamper

noun

Definition of hamper (Entry 2 of 2)

: a large basket usually with a cover for packing, storing, or transporting articles (such as food or laundry)

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about hamper

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for hamper

Verb

hamper, trammel, clog, fetter, shackle, manacle mean to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting. hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence. hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net. rules that trammel the artist's creativity clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering. a court system clogged by frivolous suits fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost. a nation fettered by an antiquated class system shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom. a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice a people manacled by tyranny

Examples of hamper in a Sentence

Verb The project was hampered by budget restraints. Construction is hampering traffic on the highway.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The Chinese government has accused Washington of misusing national security as an excuse to hamper competition and has warned that Trump's order would hurt U.S. and other investors worldwide. — CBS News, "NYSE withdraws plans to delist 3 Chinese phone carriers," 5 Jan. 2021 The only real complaints here are the fiddly controls for grabbing other players and the slow, between-round waits that hamper the frenetic nature of the mini-games themselves. — Ars Staff, Ars Technica, "Ars Technica’s best games of 2020," 22 Dec. 2020 Theoretically, these genetic changes might alter the protein enough to hamper the vaccines’ effectiveness. — Amina Khan Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "Coronavirus Today: Is the new lockdown working?," 21 Dec. 2020 The walkout threatened to hamper train service throughout the Midwest. — Bernice Yeung, ProPublica, "How the History of Waterloo, Iowa, Explains How Meatpacking Plants Became Hotbeds of COVID-19," 21 Dec. 2020 Rather, it is being used to launder a dubious right-wing smear campaign and hamper the incoming Biden administration. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Sorry, the Hunter Biden Story Is Still Not a Thing," 14 Dec. 2020 The Trump administration moved expeditiously to lift regulations that hamper U.S. domestic productivity across the board, but especially in the area of energy production. — Mackubin Thomas Owens, Washington Examiner, "America first is not America alone," 10 Dec. 2020 One thing that could hamper the city’s efforts, officials cautioned, is a truly rampant second wave in New York. — New York Times, "How New York City Plans to Keep Children Safe as Schools Reopen," 7 Dec. 2020 President-elect Joe Biden cautioned that President Trump’s refusal to accept his election defeat could hamper the Biden administration’s ability to effectively deal with the coronavirus pandemic and distribute a vaccine. — Chronicle Staff, SFChronicle.com, "Coronavirus news from the Bay Area: Nov. 13-19," 22 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Ho’s office would chill voter participation among Vietnamese immigrants and hamper community activists in their ongoing work to register and educate more immigrant voters. — Adam Elmahrek, Los Angeles Times, "Westminster voting site prompts concerns that other campaigns will follow suit," 3 Jan. 2021 My house is clean, my laundry hamper is empty and the fingernails on my left hand are clipped down short enough for guitar playing. — Ellyn Laub, sun-sentinel.com, "Goodwill hunting is music to my ears | Opinion," 16 Dec. 2020 Such waste can choke marine life, hamper boaters and taint drinking water. — Chronicle Staff, SFChronicle.com, "Coronavirus news from the Bay Area: Nov. 13-19," 22 Nov. 2020 The outstanding lawsuits hamper state lawmakers’ ability to propose specific changes in the aftermath of the election because of the possibility that courts determine some processes to be improper. — Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, "Republicans focus on tightening election laws as lawsuits fizzle," 18 Nov. 2020 Task each family member with picking up any clothes before bed, tossing dirty duds into the hamper (pro tip: invest in a bin that has two compartments, one for lights and one for darks) and replacing clean ones on hangers or in drawers. — Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, "7 Little Things You Can Do Every Day to Keep Your Home Cleaner," 27 Oct. 2020 More deficit spending will just get in the way of private-sector recovery, hamper investment, and squeeze U.S. manufacturing. — Douglas Carr, National Review, "The Deficit Bill Is Already Being Paid," 16 Oct. 2020 Some of the items were carried in a laundry hamper owned by one of the victims. — Josh Snyder, Arkansas Online, "Gunmen take $60,000 in goods from west Little Rock home, police say," 15 Oct. 2020 Yet the agency has met with criticism that its food sourcing methods hamper already weak local food markets. — New York Times, "Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to World Food Program," 9 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hamper.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.