as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
without the encumbrance of a heavy backpack, I could sprint along the trail
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Recent Examples of encumbrances
Stopping the train to nowhere funding, using those funds to pay off our federal EDD debt so that businesses can reduce THEIR EDD encumbrances by the 1-5% they’re being charged now.
—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances
Noun
-
Already, the dune had swallowed up the northern part of the parking lot along with trees and other obstacles in its way.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
-
With so many preparation obstacles, Ghalenoei leaned on experience against Belgium, sending out the oldest starting 11 at a World Cup match since 1966, according to Opta.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
Taking Ament would require belief that the shooting and strength questions are developmental hurdles, not glaring red flags.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
17 June 2026
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Beyond institutional hurdles, players also faced a wave of sexist abuse online.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Noun
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To have the best chance of viewing the planetary alignment, find a spot free of light pollution and a view of the horizon without obstructions like trees or tall buildings.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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Not just crashes, but obstructions, emergency scene conflicts, unexpected stops in travel lanes and response-time performance.—
David Roberts,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
But through all embarrassments, fans still flocked to the Garden.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
14 June 2026
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The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Noun
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The race was red-flagged, so crews could clean up the mess and inspect the barriers.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2026
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Lauzon also serves as a community engagement manager and designed the project to give emerging and underrepresented artists a place to sell their work without financial barriers.—
Ray Campos,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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