Definition of IMPEDE

Examples of impede in a Sentence

He claims that economic growth is being impeded by government regulations.
The soldiers could not impede the enemy's advance.

Recent Examples of impede from the Web

Supporters of the buffer zone stressed at the meeting that a safety zone wouldn't impede on protesters' right.

— tessa weinberg, The Courier-Journal, "Metro Council gets a taste of upcoming abortion clinic protests during buffer zone talks," 19 July 2017
Kinzinger answered that his age would not impede his judgment if offered such a meeting.

— lindsey ellefson, CNN, "GOP rep.: 'You hit hard stop' when Russians offer you political information," 14 July 2017
Tuesday's missile test by the North poses fresh challenges for Moon, who came to office in May with a pledge to engage the North in dialogue as well as continuing to us e pressure and sanctions to impede Pyongyang's weapons programs.

— reuters, Fortune, "U.S. Calls for Global Action After North Korea Tested an ICBM," 4 July 2017
Your parents are free to make their own choices, including the choice to possibly impede your brother’s progress by enabling him.

— amy dickinson, Detroit Free Press, "Sisters resent brother’s dependence on parents," 30 June 2017
A hard one is more likely than before because time is running out and a fragile political situation could impede progress.

— simon kennedy, Bloomberg.com, "Brexit Bulletin: May Faces Biggest Parliamentary Test," 29 June 2017
Federal prosecutors tried to convict occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others in a trial last fall but jurors acquitted them of charges of conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs.

— CBS News, "FBI agent indicted on charges of lying about Robert "LaVoy" Finicum shooting," 29 June 2017
Federal prosecutors tried to convict occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others in a trial last fall but jurors acquitted them of charges of conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs.

— CBS News, "FBI agent indicted on charges of lying about Robert "LaVoy" Finicum shooting," 29 June 2017
Federal prosecutors tried to convict occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others in a trial last fall but jurors acquitted them of charges of conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs.

— steven dubois, The Seattle Times, "FBI agent pleads not guilty to lying about his role in shooting at a Malheur occupation leader," 28 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of impede

Latin impedire, from in- + ped-, pes foot — more at foot

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1595

See Words from the same year

impede Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of impede

hinder, impede, obstruct, block mean to interfere with the activity or progress of. hinder stresses causing harmful or annoying delay or interference with progress. rain hindered the climb impede implies making forward progress difficult by clogging, hampering, or fettering. tight clothing that impedes movement obstruct implies interfering with something in motion or in progress by the sometimes intentional placing of obstacles in the way. the view was obstructed by billboards block implies complete obstruction to passage or progress. a landslide blocked the road