hindrance

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

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about hindrance

Keep scrolling for more

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 The loss of 737 Max jets was a significant hindrance to airlines that owned them in 2019, as carriers including American and Southwest canceled tens of thousands of flights. — Dallas News, "American Airlines puts Boeing 737 Max back in the air 20 months after worldwide grounding," 29 Dec. 2020 Technology in education can help, but overreliance on it has now become a hindrance. — WSJ, "Seeing Higher Education With New Eyes," 8 Dec. 2020 Social media erupted as many thought the defense was going to be a hindrance again, but on the Monday following that game, coach Scott Satterfield stood up for defensive coordinator Bryan Brown, the rest of the staff and players. — Cameron Teague Robinson, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville's defense has been improving since October, and it all started after of a loss," 26 Nov. 2020 Asking each state to separately develop its technology has been a hindrance at a time when health departments are strapped for time, money, tech and marketing expertise. — Washington Post, "A covid-fighting tool is buried in your phone. Turn it on.," 13 Nov. 2020 And venting self-pity, the president has been describing the pandemic as a political hindrance inflicted on him by a familiar adversary. — Alexander Burns, New York Times, "Trump’s Closing Argument on Virus Clashes With Science, and Voters’ Lives," 28 Oct. 2020 In the age of social media, the spread of misinformation provides a major hindrance to those efforts and requires an even more sophisticated response. — Amir Bagherpour, Scientific American, "COVID Misinformation Is Killing People," 11 Oct. 2020 The coronavirus pandemic was a hindrance to the offseason development for all rookies. — Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions CB Jeff Okudah: Rookie year more difficult than I imagined," 20 Nov. 2020 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Tuesday set a 10 p.m. curfew, a hindrance to late-show audiences. — Alexander Ebert, Bloomberg.com, "Lockdowns Test the Economic Endurance of Desperate Americans," 18 Nov. 2020

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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about hindrance

Dictionary Entries near hindrance

Statistics for hindrance

Last Updated

16 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Hindrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hindrance. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

Keep scrolling for more

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