1
as in hampering
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 loading
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbering
Verb
-
The moves have reportedly left the task force without prosecutors with national security experience, hampering its goal to root out American connections to the Hamas attacks (which included 40 Americans among its approximately 1,200 victims).—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026 -
The council chambers have only one entrance, hampering security and accessibility needs, and the council desk itself is not ADA-compliant.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If your entire evening is spent on a ball field or on the go, loading food up and taking it with you is another practical option.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
On the day of our visit, the South Korean tanker SK Audace was loading cargo, hooked up to pipes so cold they were covered in a thick layer of frost despite the balmy bayou weather.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In January, Geren notified more than 50 of the 62 Democrats that each owes $9,200 in fines and other charges for impeding the progress of the House by not showing up in the Capitol last August as lawmakers deliberated a plan to overhaul the state's congressional map.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Miller's family members openly accused then-sheriff Marion Joe Russell of impeding the investigation, as Nipp was Russell's nephew.—
Jessie Christopher Smith,
Oklahoman,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There is room for reasonable discussion about how to implement verification without burdening eligible voters.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
-
And year after year, NYU has routinely been ranked with the dubious distinction of burdening its graduates with more debt than any other university in the United States.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Others blame social media for hindering crew members from socializing—and carousing—together.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
After Congress rejected those cuts earlier this year, the White House slowed the release of NIH grant money, hindering ongoing and future scientific research.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The nearly 4,000 fans kept the faith all game, filling the arena with nothing but deafening noise.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
While much of those duties are typical for his local office — picking up trash, plowing snow and filling potholes — the 34-year-old mayor has leaned on his knack for viral content creation to drive interest and awareness of government programs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2004, after years of incompetent, wasteful and corrupt agencies obstructing basic and legal public records requests, the California Assembly and Senate voted unanimously to put Proposition 59 before voters.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
But constant artificial light has also become a problem, affecting sleep quality, disrupting plant and animal biorhythms and obstructing our views of the cosmos.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The war in Iran, now in its third week, is causing oil prices to soar, saddling airlines with some of the highest fuel costs in years.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Through no fault of Newton’s, Faith functions less as a second protagonist than a prop to give Grace more emotional investment in the proceedings by saddling her with guilt over their estrangement or opportunities to nobly sacrifice herself.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Encumbering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbering. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
