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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encumbrances
Noun
-
Making a robot run is not a simple task and requires precise balance control, terrain handling (uneven surfaces), endurance, navigation, and anti-interference capabilities (noise, obstacles, etc).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Apr. 2026 -
Football matchups featuring the Pac-12 legacy schools make loads of sense but face several obstacles.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Collins announced on Monday that after two years of legal hurdles and negotiations, the project to take over and transform InfoWars is finally getting off the ground.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Developers face a gauntlet of zoning rules, permitting delays, high construction costs, expensive property taxes and local political hurdles, all of which slow or shrink projects before they ever get built.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing hole — a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round — and even after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could only hit wedge to 30 feet.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But there are wild cards, including potential obstructions from Orion’s solar arrays or the body of the spacecraft and uncertainty about how well the vehicle can maintain a consistent orientation.—
Adam Bluestein,
Scientific American,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The professional embarrassments even take place at the level of state supreme courts.—
Martin Kaste,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That’s not only because judges are fining more lawyers for their laziness, but because the publicity about these embarrassments has been inescapable.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Address a gopher threat proactively through weed control and laying down barriers.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Virtual psychology removes outdated barriers by merging medical scrutiny with convenience, helping individuals move from uncertainty toward greater clarity.—
Lucy Jones
April 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 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
“Encumbrances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encumbrances. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
