encumbers

verb

present tense third-person singular of encumber
1
as in impedes
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loads
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

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.
Recent Examples of encumbers The Pentagon’s risk-averse culture, reinforced by rules established by Congress, encumbers every stage of the military development, procurement, and integration process. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Neither encumbers this production. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbers
  1. impedes
  2. loads
  3. hinders
  4. burdens
  5. hampers
  6. fills
  7. obstructs
  8. embarrasses
Verb
  • That is, using AI to fix problems and do work that slows and impedes the creative process.
    — Mark Schilling, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Pain that lasts for more than a day and impedes your regular activities is.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of impedes
Verb
  • The live feed loads much faster in the Birdbuddy app thanks to a new instant wake-up feature.
    — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026
  • These improvements are intended to help military forces transport larger loads more efficiently and support operational demands across a range of environments.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of loads
Verb
  • Spending weeks and months to build an AI strategy without testing hinders the ability to react.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Other scientists argue that vascular dysfunction hinders the brain’s ability to clear amyloid and injures neurons through other routes.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of hinders
Verb
  • Traffic burdens residents daily, and heavy rain keeps exposing the same stormwater weaknesses.
    — Miami Herald staff, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • This adds unstated punishment, fragments medical care, limits programming, and burdens federal agencies with unnecessary logistics.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of burdens
Verb
  • But the inability a company to buy ads hampers a campaign’s visibility and removes a key tool that studios use to spread the word about a movie currently in theaters.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This lushness is truly remarkable on an island known for its volcanic soil, which traditionally hampers plant growth.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of hampers
Verb
  • No queue fills up, nothing gets escalated, and the discrepancy waits until someone reconciles, if anyone does.
    — Ran Grushkowsky, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Stanichi fills the role left vacant after Josh Simon left Netflix as head of consumer products in August 2025 to join Funko as CEO.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of fills
Verb
  • Sponsored by District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah, the measure defines camping as using public space for private living accommodations in a manner that obstructs public access or blocks entryways and exits to public property for extended periods.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026
Definition of obstructs
Verb
  • Universities responded by raising tuition to a sticker price that embarrasses the word tuition.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Or from locking up Mick Cronin through 2030, even though UCLA’s prickly basketball coach embarrasses the university annually and hasn’t reached a Sweet 16 since 2023.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of embarrasses

Browse Nearby Words

encumbering
encumbers
encumbrance
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Cite this Entry

“Encumbers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbers. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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