as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
without the encumbrance of a heavy backpack, I could sprint along the trail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances
Noun
-
Yards with narrow passages, tight corners, and many obstacles like trees, shrubs, or garden beds, or steep inclines make the use of a riding lawnmower, especially a traditional riding mower, more tedious than helpful.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
22 Feb. 2026 -
Parents may go to great lengths to remove obstacles from their child’s path, unintentionally hindering the development of life skills1.—
Jazmin Towe,
Parents,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But there is optimism in the community that both these hurdles can be cleared.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
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There are a host of legal hurdles Trump will have to overcome to keep this one alive.—
Jack Greiner,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An explanation as to how the FAA is ensuring awareness of existing regulations on markings and notifications of obstructions, and how the agency will work with others to share those policies.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Crews advanced hose lines to the second floor and had difficulty gaining access because of obstructions behind the bedroom door, according to the release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
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All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are no barriers to entry in sports, nobody is priced out of participation.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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The absolute security that George felt about his own social position, plus some liberal impulse stirring within him, led him to want to take down the barriers that the Mardi Gras krewes—social organizations of immense prestige—had erected against Jews, at least on behalf of the Lemanns.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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