hindrance

noun

hin·drance | \ˈhin-drən(t)s

Definition of hindrance

1 : the state of being interfered with, held back, or slowed down : the state of being hindered hindrance of speech

2 : a person or thing that interferes with or slows the progress of someone or something : impediment a hindrance to learning

3 : the act of interfering with or slowing the progress of someone or something : the action of hindering should be allowed to live where he chooses without hindrance

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Examples of hindrance in a Sentence

Is my presence here a help or a hindrance? made a survey of all the hindrances to wheelchair access, such as curbs and stairs

Recent Examples on the Web

Couldn't the early exit of three of its wealthiest undergrads be taken as evidence that the country's savviest businessmen found a Harvard education to be a hindrance on the path to fortune? — Kevin Conley, Town & Country, "Harvard Doesn't Suck," 26 Sep. 2014 The advocates for human missions to Mars have sometimes viewed planetary protection as a hindrance. — Joel Achenbach, Washington Post, "NASA needs to upgrade its ‘planetary protection’ efforts, experts say," 2 July 2018 The biggest hindrance for many young artists coming up is their lack of knowledge regarding the importance of mental health. — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, "Pusha T, Ella Mai, Jussie Smollett & More Give Aspiring Artists Advice on How to Maintain Their Mental Health," 20 June 2018 Against Wright State, more than anything, execution was the greatest hindrance to the Norse holding an unbeaten run in conference play. — Charlie Hatch, Cincinnati.com, "NKU beats Cleveland State 70-55, jumps to 5-1 in Horizon League play," 15 Jan. 2018 Working with a low budget that never becomes a hindrance, Mr. Perry uses exterior space to convey interiority, as when Alyssa speaks to Nick — who keeps his back to her — from across a room that feels like a vast, unpassable chasm. — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, "Review: In ‘Golden Exits,’ Ties That Bind (and Cut Too)," 8 Feb. 2018 This requires expensive equipment and lots of electricity, but that was apparently not a hindrance to the Russians. — New York Times, "How Russian Spies Hid Behind Bitcoin in Hacking Campaign," 13 July 2018 What is more, the mere perception that the government has access to WeChat data is a hindrance to its growth overseas, people close to the company say. — Alyssa Abkowitz, WSJ, "For China, Tech Giant Tencent Is Both a National Champion and a Threat," 9 July 2018 Would a pedestrian thoroughfare be a help or hindrance to local businesses? — Katie Arnold, Outside Online, "What Activism Can Teach Kids About Life," 7 June 2018

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

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Last Updated

12 Nov 2018

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Time Traveler for hindrance

The first known use of hindrance was in 1526

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More Definitions for hindrance

hindrance

noun

English Language Learners Definition of hindrance

: a person or thing that makes a situation difficult : a person or thing that hinders someone or something

: the act of making it difficult for someone to act or for something to be done : the act of hindering someone or something

See the full definition for hindrance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hindrance

noun

hin·drance | \ˈhin-drəns

Kids Definition of hindrance

: someone or something that makes a situation more difficult “… you shouldn't worry about the little fellow's feet … I don't personally think they're going to be a hindrance …”— Dick King-Smith, Pigs Might Fly